Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)
by Chihorrorfan84
Summary: Picks up right after "Cajun Spice" episode. My fanfiction debut! Mutants are revealed to the world, & the 1st full scale anti-mutant movement begins. Rogue steals away to the "Big Easy" to help the young thief that wronged her. Gambit makes the biggest decision of his life. Hope you guys enjoy it!
1. Epilogue Prologue

Rogue ran her fingers over the smooth surface of the playing card that Gambit had slipped into her hand. The whole situation had left her with so much to think about that the plane ride home was almost a blur. She recalled Kurt with his arm around her offering the loving protection only a brother could, all the while glaring back at scoundrel that had stolen away his "sister" and put her in harm's way.

"Your sure your alright, Rogue?" Kurt asked again as he settled into the seat next to her. "I really don't care what he was trying to do, or who he was trying to help. In the end he will always have his own selfish reasons."

"He might'a done it the wrong way Kurt, but family has a way a'turnin' you inside out. We know that better'n most." Kurt couldn't really argue with that even though he wanted to try. Rogue slumped in her seat, listening to the quiet hum of the plane's engine.

She needed to come up with answers to the questions that Logan was undoubtedly going to ask, but she was only half sure of her motivations. Why had she helped Gambit, despite misleading and kidnapping her? Was it the horrid guilt of how she made Kurt feel or what she had done to Mystique? She was, after all, having a harder time then she was willing to admit dealing with her "mother's" betrayal. She remembered a time not so terribly long ago when Mystique her "mom" would brush her hair, and tell about how having a daughter was her greatest joy. No matter whose face she had been emulating, Rogue never got tired of seeing her mother light up with outstretched arms for her to run into. Was it really all a lie? What about her other "mom" Irene, were her warm and loving words a lie too? Did the guilt hurt so much that she would try to find retribution in helping an enemy? Rogue wasn't entirely sure.

Rogue had just got done recounting the story in her mind about the hundredth time before they landed. The lights in the mansion, though warm, paled in comparison to the glowing lanterns along the Mississippi river. You don't miss it until its gone.

"C'mon Rogue. Time you tell me what happened." Logan ushered her into kitchen, and pulled them both something to drink from the fridge. "You talk straight with me, and I'll try to do my best to understand. Deal?"

"Okay Logan..." She went through everything the kidnapping, the train, the jazz club, all the way up to retrieval of Gambit's father.

"Sounds like that kid was caught between a'rock n'a'hard place." Logan downed a long swig of root beer before Rogue had any time to answer. "Him I get, you on the other hand, I don't. Why stick around? You didn't call us, you could'a told us, n'yeah we would'a griped about it, but we would'a helped. Hero's do that."

"Ah know, but it had ta be me. Just me." She explained her guilt, and her chance at redemption. Like it would have made a difference in her life if she could help Gambit. Rogue shifted her weight uncomfortably.

"That ain't it. What else?" Logan could see only what she had just realized.

"Well, um... ah don't-"

"C'mon Rogue. We have a deal."

"Its just...ah was thinkin' about leavin' the institution before Gambit showed up, but Ah would've never had the guts to leave on mah own. Ah mean, where would Ah have gone? Even though he was doing it for his own selfish reasons...without even meaning too Gambit had given me something Ah didn't think Ah had."

"That's bull, girl. You always had'a choice."

"Did Ah, Logan? First it was Irene & Mystique, then the Brotherhood, and Risty, now its you guys. I was always desperately lookin' for somewhere ta belong because Ah didn't think Ah could'a done it on mah own, Ah thought Ah needed y'all. But after Ah was able to do this for Gambit without any of you, Ah still felt like the X-men were mah family 'cause Ah wanted y'all, not because Ah couldn't make it. Ah want ta be apart o' this, Ah wanna be an X-man more than anything." Rogue hung her head, she cleared her throat, but had nothing else to say.

"Well, yer shaping up to be a great one. Go to bed, you got homework to make up, and school in the morning." That being said Logan left the kitchen.

"Oh yeah, right, school."


	2. Goin' Rodee' (to be on the road a lot)

Takes Place right after the end of the series, shortly after "Ascension: Part 2".

~4 months later~ -

Scott "Cyclops" Summers closely studied the screen the senior team was asked to collaborate over. Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Dr. Henry "Beast" McCoy, Logan "Wolverine", Ororo "Storm" Monroe, and their founder and mentor Professor Charles Xavier all came together to discuss their plan of action, but the situation was grim.

"So what does this mean for us exactly?" Logan growled.

Out of nowhere from the New Mexico desert, an organized group of mutant violence began moving east.

"It started out small, disregarded as random hate crimes well within the hands of local authorities, now its quickly gone from what looked like mobs of violent anti-mutant crimes to a full-scale attack that has already crossed into Texas boarders and laid waste to numerous small towns bypassing larger cities, but as they gained in numbers they began making bolder advancements to overtake larger and larger populated areas. We imagine it will continue to move through the south and up the east coast." The Professor spoke concisely and quickly, as he grabbed a remote.

News clips from local broadcasting stations flickered on the various screens of the ready-room. Homes and businesses up in flames belonging to known mutants, heavily armed jeeps fired, as terrified groups of fleeing people ran.

"Editing is playing quite the role in this disturbing façade," Beast sighed as he turned on additional screens with similar footage done with camera phones and home cameras. Children were being taken away from mutant parents, when mothers and fathers fought back with they're powers they became unfortunate victims. "Out gunned and outnumbered. We have reports of some homo-superiors being detained, and released on powerful hallucinogens to stage violent outbursts. They don't need a great reason to take us down, just a showy one."

"They'll need even less then that soon enough." Logan added bitterly.

"What about the other mutants they haven't released? Like those kids?" Jean was ready to dedicate her life to prevent this very situation. She knew centralized attacks on mutants were out there -but so violent, so fast and heading towards friends, even family. Her heart was beating so hard she swore she could see it through her uniform.

"Sadly, we don't know." Beast couldn't look at Jean's eyes.

"What's the government's role in all of this? " Scott was somber and growing more anxious to move.

"Lemme guess denial of the whole damn situation..." Logan spoken slowly through a low growl.

"We understand that orders were given to aid the riots, but after several unknown interjections both from within the government itself and outside groups, they...yes, as Logan said, they deny it's any more than typical street crime that is well within the hands of local authorities." The Professor shook his head, not quite defeated, but it didn't give you a lot hope either.

"I imagine once these broadcasts become national we will have an even larger problem still. The world had no point of reference, no one to blame after Apocalypse and his horseman threatened the world, " Storm hated being underground and around so much unnatural material. She wanted to get in the air as soon as possible, "now we've become a natural, and not entirely false targets."

"So let's get moving. Where will they be in the next 24 to 38 hours?" Scott already had an idea of where everyone should be, leading was starting to become more and more natural to him.

"Just before the border of Louisiana, if we're lucky we can stop them before they get into any major city or at least stall them long enough to get bystanders out. Active mutants have become bull's-eyes." Logan read off the screen as he headed for the doorway.

Just outside the door of the ready room the young mutant known as "Rogue" was listening . Every senior member had just been called down to the ready room to be briefed on something important. Being an almost senior member meant Rogue would be head babysitter for the time the X-men were gone. She decided to go ahead and eavesdrop, listening in maybe she'd get a low down on what was happening, and get a head start on whatever chores they were delegating for all their 'almost' senior members, but she wasn't expecting this, flickering screens broadcasted innocent mutant victims being executed in one monitor, and in another monitor the same violence, only the executioners were making out as heroes. Ridding the world of these blood thirsty monsters that would attack you and your family without reason. Attacks on mutants was defiantly something she suspected would happen, but this sounded like war.

"Louisiana?" She felt a tight grip on her heart, and listened.

"Active mutants?" That's all Rogue needed hear, something in her head snapped. Rogue raced downstairs and straight for the garage, but not before she could be stopped by one of the many housemates she was trying to avoid.

Katherine "Kitty" Pryde rose from the ground in front of Rogue, she barely slowed down as she literally ran right through Kitty.

"Rogue?! What's your problem? Where are you going?! Come on! The others are taking off, you'll miss them! Rogue!" Kitty hated being ignored, and if Rogue was in such hurry that she would willingly miss the Black bird taking off something big was up.

Rogue knew where Logan hid his spare motorcycle key, and took full advantage. No sooner had she gotten her helmet on Kitty came down from the ceiling.

"Rogue! What is with the rush!?"

"Kitty! Ah have to go! Ah don't have time ta talk!"

Rogue barely finished her sentence before the roar of the engine filled the garage.

"Rogue where are-!" Kitty stood in a cloud of exhaust talking to herself, "Oh, this is not good..."

"Ah'll be back tomorrow night!" Rogue yelled behind herself, unable to focus on anything, but the task at hand. "I'll call," Rogue thought, "As soon as I'm able to stop, I'll check in. I'm sorry Kitty, but this was an emergency. I owe someone a favor."

* * *

Hours later, Rogue was sore and her muscles were screaming at her to take a break, she would have no problem ignoring the pain but, the empty gas light was determined to make her stop.

"Perfect," Rogue thought," In the middle of Kentucky, and still a good amount of time to get into New Orléans, and out before the storm."

The gas station was a small ma and pa operation, it was almost an oasis. They seemed like sweet people, when they took her money for the gas she pumped, they called her "Darlin'". Did they have any idea of the hell only miles south of them, or that she was willingly riding straight into the path of it? She hoped they would never know, and that it would never reach here.

"S'cuse me, sir, mam' do ya'll have a phone Ah could please use? Ah'll only be a moment." Rogue could hear her accent getting thicker, and more polite. The south was like diving into a warm bath, warm, inviting, familiar. "Ah gotta...uh,... check on my lil sister. Ah'll be more'n happy to pay for it."

"Never you mind, hun. Got a phone right here...you go on'n call yo sissy." Ma took Rogue to the back of the gas station to use the phone, then excused herself to give Rogue her privacy.

"Thank you kindly mam'." Rogue took a deep breath, and dialed the mansion. Why would anyone else but Kitty answer?

"Hi, Kitty it's me. Ah-"

"Okay, where the heck are you Rogue?! I've been covering for you for, like, hours now! What I'm I suppose to say!? Why the heck did you take off like that?! And seriously? Tomorrow night?! YOURTOTALLYGOINGTOGETINTROUBLEFORDITCHINGSCHOOLAND STEALINGLOGAN'SBIKE!"

"Ya done?"

"NO! We're on lock down, and you take off? Really?!"

"Kitty clam down! I'm asking you ta trust me, this is real important . Ah...Ah have ta go warn someone. They're in tha thick a'all this'n Ah owe 'em."

"Cute accent. And why not just send the X-men to help? And who the heck are you talking about?"

"Ah really can't get inta it, but tha X-men are tied up enough as it is'n Ah know exactly where he is. Ah'll be in n'outta the state, on mah way back home before tha' X-men even get there!"...Rogue realized what she said just after it was out of her mouth.

"HE? HE?! As in a GUY?! You're risking your neck and permanent detention for WHO?!"

"I gotta go, Ah'm burning daylight...er uh, sissy, love ya bye!" Rogue noticed Ma poke her blue-haired head from around the corner. And slammed the phone down just in time to hear Kitty say, "Sissy? Uh, Ro-"

"Pa n' Ah would love ta have you fer supper, hun, yo mighty thin!" She smiled sweetly.

"Thank you so much mam, pa too, but Ah best be gettin' on. Um my... uh, Daddy wants me home soon." She would have loved to have that supper, but time was running out, and the horror of brushing skin to skin contact with these to good people, no doubt someone's grandparents, sent her running out the door.


	3. The Big Easy

The smell of the swamp dampened her hair, as she rolled through the thick fog, but she had no problem finding her way. She recalled memories that didn't belong to her, but to Gambit. Their touch had been brief, but enough to retrieve places he would be haunting this time of day. She was tried and hungry, but she just couldn't bring herself to pay attention to her body, time was getting short. The sun had just slipped below the horizon when she reached the jazz bar Gambit hustled poker at, taking advantage of the drunk tourists that thought they could just blend in. Or if he wasn't "working" he'd be there for the live bands, the bar boasted the best music the bayou had to offer, Hadley Castille's voice flowed out of the opened door. Some of her oldest memories were Hadley Castille's fiddling.

"They do have great music..." Rogue smiled at the warm lights inside, but she couldn't bring herself to go in. She didn't really have to though, as if on que Gambit stepped out and lit a cigarette. He was five feet in front of her and she froze, she watched him lean against one of the pilars outside the bar, as he filled his lungs, she watched his chest rise and fall. White smoke slowly rolled down his lips and curled behind him. He closed his eyes to better take in the music and the warm breeze. Finally, she took a deep breath, and spoke.

"Great song."

"Yeah, de love songs are mah favorite...wha? Rogue? Rogue!" He gracefully tossed his glowing cigerette into the street. "Well as Ah live n'breath..." Gambit was never one for understanding personal space, "To what do Ah owe the pleasure? You alone, Mon Cher?" He slowly moved a hand softly down her arm, "You look lovelier every time-"

"Can it swamp rat!" She moved away, but only slightly, "Ah'm here because Ah need ta talk to you, we got-"

Rogue heard the music stop. Within the bar, a man yelled and swore. The sound of over turning funiture and broken glass introduced a large angry man that had clearly made Gambit's acquaintance earlier, came rushing out of the bar.

"You mutie scum bag! I knew you stacked that damn deck! You ripped me off'a $500 bucks! And I'm taking it outta your mutant ass, pretty-boy!

"Never a dull moment, eh Cajun?" Rogue said hand on her hip.

"Don't act like its not irresistable! C'mon!" Grabbing Rogue by the wrist, he pulled her down a cobble stone street.

"Dis couyon won' be hard to lose Cher. He'd been knockin' back mint juleps 'like a local' since his plane landed" He said sarcasticly.

"Yeah, I know, 'tourists' right?" At that point she didn't know if that was something he had said to her, or just a memory she had obtained from him when they touched.

They rushed through twisted and narrow alleys that lead them to an abanboned church. The rotten wood creaked under their steps, the moonlight danced in the colors of what was left of the stained glass that still clung to window panes.

"Could'a avoided this whole thing if you jus' would'a gave that guy his money back." Breathing heavily, she was having trouble catching her breath, her legs felt so weak.

"C'mon Cher, how do you know all tha' was about me? Ah never heard him say mah name, did you?" Gambit smiled back at her as he led them up the rickitey bell tower.

"Then what was the point of all that runnin'?"

"Eh, Ah was just trying ta get us alone in hurry." He grinned menacingly. His eyes sparkled as he looked her over.

"Ah don't have time for this."

"It worked."

"Shut up, Gambit! Look, the X-men got word that a fire storm of anti-mutant "cleansing" is coming right this way, n' being as popular as you are, your kinda hard ta ignore. These groups aren't just angry mobs of 'mutie-haters', they'er organized, armed, and growin' in numbers. They'er already sweepin' through Texas. Right now they don't seem to care what kinds o' mutants they're takin' out, both possibly lethal and harmless powered mutants alike. They've also been takin' selected mutants for who knows what." The flirtatious smirk was gone, his eyes went from a sparkle to a deep red glow, his body tensed, and he began to servey his surroundings, the thief had his guard up.

"How much time we got, Cher?" Gambit heard the rumors, but they were always just rumors. What he had heard was so bad that he, on occasion, would play with the idea of being a hero for once in his life, but there were just such tempting scores out there, and people willing to pay him for it. The thrill of being a schoundel was much more addicting than doing the right thing as a hero. Most importantly nothing ever came of the threats involving mutants. Maybe there was an isolated street beating of a random mutant every now and again, but nothing to make him throw on a cape, and start take out "bad guys". It was all he'd ever known thieving, and running, making the next big score, and conning his way to better things. Now demons where at his door, forcing him to make a new decision.

"Two hours to get outta the state, maybe less. With the bike Ah got an' if we avoid Baton Rouge we might make it. Its yer call, Ah'm goin' right back home. Ah can take you anywhere from here to there. Either way they're targetin' active mutants, an, if yo' tourist friend is any point o'reference its no secret as ta what ya are 'round here"

"Wait- you came all the way here... just to warn me, Cher?" Gambit was shocked, this girl that he had deceived, lied to, and put into harms way actually came to rescue him. He was speechless.

"You gave me a choice once, now were even." She couldn't look him in the face, as far as poker faces go, she didn't have one, not when it came to him.

"They killin' us, ain't they petite?"

"Yes, families, kids, they don't care. Authorities and the government are abandonin' us. If we're found out, we're suddenly not people anymore." The gravity of the situation hadn't sunken in until then for her, all she had thought about was getting to Gambit, now that she had, a war was on the horizon, and possibly less then two hours away.

"Lets go, Cher. Lets go, now."

* * *

_Hadley J. Castille: Famed Cajun Musician (R.I.P.) _

_Mon cher, Cher: My dear, endearment to someone you're fond of. _

_couyon: A fool, or ignorant person. Stupid._

_mint julep: Alcoholic drink made with mint leaf, simple syrup, and bourbon; originated in the deep South of the United States. _

_petite: feminine form of the word "small" or "little". In this story its being used as a term of endearment. _


	4. Reconsiderer (Reconsider)

Rogue made it just over the boarder of northern Louisiana, before having to stop. She was dangerously exhausted. Without rest or food since before they got word about the violence, her body had just given up.

"Ah just need to catch mah breath. Ah'll only need a minute." Maneuvering a bike with more than twice the weight was proving more then she could handle. They pulled off near a lake side arboretum.

"Girl, you gotta let me drive. I know mah way around a bike, n' yo comin' apart." Gambit had come along for more than one reason, but most importantly was Rogue's well-being. She had pushed herself to the point of exhaustion just to warn him in person, he knew there was a whole lot Rogue wanted to say, but wouldn't.

"Logan is goin' ta kill me as it is fer takin' his bike, if he finds out you drove it- I'd be responsible fer the property damage too." It hurt to stand, and her arms just couldn't lift anything. She was dizzy, hungry to say the least, and dehydrated.

Gambit laughed "You stole a bike? Fer me? Why Cher, I knew we were ment to be." The sparkle in his eye was back, so was that grin.

"Don't flatter yo'self, it was the fastest, most maneuverable thing in the garage. Anyway we were dealin' wit extenuatin' circumstances. Gambit you hav-"

"Remy."

"What?"

"De name's Remy. Considering you risked life, limb, n'curfew to snatch me outta harm's way, Ah think were on a firs' name basis now. Don' you?" He approached her; he noticed she wasn't walking very straight. He carefully placed his hands on the back of her arms to steady her.

"I wanna thank you, Rogue. A proper thank you. Ah'm not use ta folks lookin' out for me, least o'all folks I done wrong, so really, thank you."

"S-sure, Remy..." her voice grew soft, as he leaned in closer to look her in the eyes. The only time she was ever touched was during lifesaving drills at school. To be held was a rare, and by someone that actually wanted to get closer was even rarer.

"The 'outta- the- goodness- of- someone's- heart' thing don' really exist fo' a guy like me. N' Ah sure as hell didn' deserve help from you. Ah'm really not good wit' apologizes, but Ah used you... lied to you, Ah was wrong. Ah guess Ah'm just used ta one way a'doin' things." Remy could feel the heat coming off her cheeks as they grew pink.

Rogue breathed in deeply, the scent of aftershave, and sweet bourbon filled her. Her vision blurred as she tried to grasp what was happening. "W-we all got our...issues, Remy...bad habits." The feeling of his strong arms around her was overwhelming; she could feel her heart throbbing in her temples. The heat from his stomach was pressing deep into her's. She was not in the state of mind to balance, stress, fear, exhaustion, impending war, and raging hormones all in the same day.

"Maybe its time fo' me ta learn some new habits, den. Take new risks...risks wit you maybe? "Careful to avoid her scalp he ran his fingers through the back of her hair.

"Ah don't think... Ah jus'..." Was all Rogue was able to say before collapsing face first into Remy's chest. With the limp body in his arms, Remy looked all around them as if looking for an answer as to what to do in this kind of situation.

"Well dis is a new one..." with a sigh Remy carried her over to the bike. "C'Mon girl, yo lucky Ah'm not that kind of scoundrel...though yo' enough ta make a man reconsider."

Remy looked out into the distance, back toward the city, a blackness that wasn't the night sky began to rise. The city was on fire, the war had hit home, he didn't know of any mutant in the area of New Orleans that couldn't take care of themselves, but if this was as bad as Rogue said, maybe it was time to reconsider a lot of things.


	5. Change

Remy knew if he drove around the lake long enough he'd find someone's vacation home, a place to hole up in for a while. He just needed somewhere to rest up, and take care of Rogue, a shower would be nice too.

"Here we go. Look Cher, a place to

" A two story log cabin on the lake, no alarm system, no neighbors, just several key locks that he'd been picking open since he was nine. Perfect.

With Rogue, dead to the world in his arms, he carried her over the threshold. The air in the cabin was musty, no one had been there since hunting season ended.

"Lets find a place to put you down firs' petite." Remy proceeded to the second floor, and found the master bedroom. He knelt on the bed, and softly put Rogue down into it, he delicately put her head down, and froze. She was breathing softly, her face was lovely and serene, Rogue had always drew his attention for different reasons, but now seemed different, he was nervous, his hands were clammy. He couldn't pull himself away just then, girls were never a problem for him, he normally knew just what to say and do. He was ashamed to admit that he was grateful she was unconscious, otherwise she would have seen him sweat. What was it about her? Her resilience, maybe? The wanting to do the right thing, despite having been used and wronged? Her strength, or sweetness? Beautiful, untouched, dangerous, possibly his greatest challenge. Losing his head over a girl was just not something Remy Lebeau did, but now, for the second time, he was close enough to kiss her, and despite her powers, the risk at that moment, was worth it. Of course it would have been a stupid decision, he knew that, but it didn't change the fact that here he was, being stupid.

"How much would one kiss really do?" He leaned over her thinking, but he probably was not the best one to gauge, considering he was blacked out the first time they touched. He really didn't think she acquired anything too bad from the first time, if she did, she would have never pushed herself so much to get him out of the city, right? Would she really get one of his deepest secrets? Could he control what she got? If he was actually thinking he would realized there were a few things about his past, if found out, would end his new future before it even got started.

"What are you doin' Lebeau!? This is crazy." Remy thought, ''You spent yo life stayin' outta these kinda situations, n' now yo' walkin' right inta one?!" The word 'walking' would have implied he had some kind of control over himself, this, however, was falling.

"Don' fo'get why you were so willin' ta leave de city Lebeau. Yo' life in de Big Easy was over as of a year ago, you would'a burned if you stayed." It was a messy business leaving the theives guide, his father, the life style, his unpunished sins. He swallowed hard, and unzipped her coat slowly, he swiftly pulled it off without rousing her. Holding her warm frame in his arms felt so good, he conjured every bit of self restraint to lay her back down, take off her boots, and leave the room. Thankfully, for him, the water heater had been down for the season too.

After a sobering cold shower, Remy got the generator going enough to turn on the T.V., which he immediately regretted. The breaking news was like the end of a bad horror movie. He knew the look of that bayou like the back of his own hand.

"Amri...?"

The news showed a howling twisted man with the face of a monster dripping with water and dark weeds pulling a limp body of a woman into the black swamp. He was screaming up at the pitch sky, baring rows of sharp teeth, but Remy knew that it wasn't a scream, it was a cry, the overwhelming pain of a broken man, a man that just had his heart torn from his chest. They were surrounded by vehicles full of armed men, one of the gunman spoke to the camera "You see the trick is ta get 'em right between the eyes. A Mosinnagant Sniper rifle, gives a clean shot. You line up your shot higher then it looks, you wanna get the mutie, not the lady." The weapon was a bolt action rifle with a ridiculous looking scope as long as the gun itself. Fine if you were hunting herds of rampaging lions, not at all appropriate for an unarmed mutated man distracted by the pain of his dead wife.

"Genevive..."

Amri and Genevive Betrancourt had the best fish market in New Orleans, maybe Louisiana! He always had the rarest and finest river catch, solely because he was a mutant. Amir had eyes like a reptile's, large, double eyelids, capable of seeing under water, and was able to stay under for hours. Amri and his wife Genevive moved back to New Orleans right after they had a bundle of joy by the name of Jennings Betrancourt. Jennings was blessed with all the abilities of his papa, but was far more mutated, blessed with scaled skin, no hair, a tail and webbed hands and feet. A sweet child who was an absolute Daddy's boy, and he was out fishing his papa by the age of six, Remy had made their acquaintance often. Fancy Bourbon St. restaurants paid him top dollar for his produce, enough to keep Amri's family comfortable and well hidden. Remy helped Jennings speak English whenever he was able to stop hiding behind his papa's leg.

"He like us Jennings!" Amri's attempt to make his son interact, " C'mon Honey-chile, Remy here a mutant!"

"Jennings! pauvre petite enfant, don' be 'fraid o' Remy. How de fishin' today?" Remy would kneel down to him, but never too close. Remy couldn't help but be nervous around the rolls of sharp teeth in the boy's mouth.

"Mais, moodee..." the boy would rasp. A stern look from his papa, and Jennings tried his English again, "s'no good, dey scared o' all de pirogue...uh... lil boats?"

"Yup, dat's right. All dem lil boats make for some bad fishin'. But you n' yo' papa the best in'a business, no problems fo' you." Remy smiled, and the boy would run off to tell his mama how smart he was.

Proud of his little victories that Remy would bring to him, Jennings came to like him very much, never enough to give him a deal on his delicious maque choux, that lovely Genevive made fresh everyday, but Jennings looked forward to his visits. To Remy it was a family to envy, something he wanted for himself some day.

That was the first time Remy met the whole Betrancourt family, and now they were on the breaking news acting out a real life nightmare. "This gun's got a great scope, never misses." Remy held his breath as the gun cocked at Amri's head. At that moment the anchorman screamed, a small form promptly began shredding the gunman's neck with rows of serrated teeth. The camera didn't pull away, not even after another large gunman sent the butt of his gun into the head of the small monster, he then proceeded to crush its small head will the heel of his boot. It let out a screech as it was being crushed to death, then finally a sickening moan, but that was not what it really was, Remy knew it was the excruciating cry of a dying little boy calling for his papa. He was ten years old.

"Jen...!"

Remy turned off the T.V. before they could gun down Amri. He ran out onto the porch, and knelt down, to pray or throw up he wasn't sure. It then dawned on him, it was to make sure that the nightmare wasn't outside, he wanted to make sure they were still alone. Even though he knew he wasn't alone exactly, the screaming voice in the back of his head was still there, forcing him to make a choice.

* * *

play Madame: To play house

petite: small or little; in this story its being used as a term of endearment.

Honey-chile: Term of endearment for small children

pauvre petite enfant: poor little child

Mais, moodee: Mais usually starts french sentences; moodee refers to bad or not good.

pirogue: small boat

maque choux: A cajun dish contains corn, green bell pepper, onions, tomatoes. usually served as a side dish. Tasty!


	6. Time

Remy sat in the dark thinking, afraid to turn on the television again. Partly not wanting to see what was out there, but more then anything he didn't want anything interfering with the silence. He was tense and went upstairs to check on Rogue. Watching her sleep helped him put things into perspective. He smiled down at her, with a thin bed sheet between them, Remy laid down close to her. The tension in his chest was painful, but the warmth emanating from this sleeping girl was calming. He needed to be near her, near someone living, breathing. Rogue, still sleeping deeply, took in a deep breath and rolled toward him. Remy coasted her onto his chest, although not entirely safe, he knew they both needed this, even with the thin sheet between them, to be this close ment everything. And dreaming or not, he wasn't sure, Rogue ran her hand across his stomach and around Remy's waist, she smiled slightly, then held him tight. Remy exhaled and relaxed, moments later he'd be as sound sleep as she was.

Rogue slowly came to life, she had slept deeply for what felt like an hours. The soft bed was lulling her back to sleep, but the warm, firm body she had cozied up to at some point during her nap sent her falling off the side of the bed and flat on the floor with a thud.

"Wha! Rem-!...ow...!" Rogue was looking straight at the ceiling, Remy's face peered over the bed, he was warmly grinning down at her.

"Not the reaction Ah was hoping fo', but Ah'm glad to see yo' up." He wrapped his hand in some of the bed sheet and offered to help her up.

"Are you crazy? Bein' that close is yo' one way ticket to a coma!" She rubbed the small of her back. "An' why couldn't you find another place to sleep, Remy?"

"You seemed awfully comfortable petite, anyway Ah wanted to make sure you were okay, you passed out 'member? An' there is no other place Ah wanted to sleep."

"Where are we? Who's house?"

"Alex and Helena Niccotti. "

"Get that smile off'a yo' face, Remy. Now who are they?"

"Dunno, its the names Ah read off the mail downstairs."

"You mean you broke in?! Where breakin' n'enterin' right now?"

"All's fair in love n' war, petite. Besides, like you said 'extenuatin' circumstances'. Dis ain't my firs' time at dis Cher, dis is a vacation home. Ain't no one gonna be here fo' another two months. N' no one 'round fo miles."

"We gotta get goin'. How long was I asleep?" Rogue realized her shoes and coat were gone.

"Not long. Your stuff is over on the chair."

"Wait, you undressed me? Remy you have got ta stop being so liberal about getting so close." She was so relieved he wasn't sprawled out on the floor, and that she didn't have a head full of memories that weren't her's, that she wasn't really mad.

"You make it soun' so serious Cher, Ah was just puttin' you comfortable. Why can't Ah touch you? Ah'll stay covered-"

She cut him off right there and planted a sharp finger to his chest. Was he being coy on purpose or was he really that short-sighted?

" 'Cause it is serious, Remy! An' its not that simple, all it takes is one slip an' Ah'll know more about you then you'll ever want anyone to know. An' it don't take a genius to know you got some deep secrets that you rather no one know. Not to mention that a coma-"

He grabbed her hand tightly and held it to his chest.

"An' tha's my call isn't it? They're my secrets to share. An' you look me in the eye girl, an' you tell me that you've hated how 'close' Ah've been gettin'." He kissed her gloved hand and smiled, "What you say ta lettin' me take you out fo-"

" Remy stop! Ah'm not goin' to deny anythin', but we both know where this is goin', an' Ah don't feel like playin' anymore."

"An' where exactly is it goin'? Eh, Cher? What do you think Ah'm after?" Rogue turned her head, and tried to pull her hand away, but Remy held it firm. "No Rogue, no runnin', Ah wanna know what yo' gettin' at. Please?"

"No runnin'? Right. Sure. Maybe yer used to playin' these kinda games, an' Ah want to, believe me, but Ah can't! Just havin' fun with someone showin' 'em like you care, an takin' off...maybe regular people can do that, but Ah just can't." She decided then and there she would not cry. She was X-man, not an emotional little girl. She tried to convince herself he wasn't worth it. "Ah got an idea Remy, just let me know where you want me to drop you off, an' lets keep our distance til we get there."

"Rogue...No. Ah got no intent on keepin' any kind o' distance from you." Remy grabbed her other hand an held them both to his chest, everything seemed so clear all of a sudden. "Ah've been doing a lot of thinkin'. Talkin', an' apologies are easy, an' Ah've hurt n' wronged a lot of people, n' Ah mean a lot a'people. Incudin' you. Ah've only ever known one way o'doin' things. Ah need a change, been lookin' for one since I left mah father's idea of'a life. Ah need to fight for somethin', for someone other than myself, n' maybe start makin' up for tha' things Ah done." He smiled at her with a glint in his eye.

"Remy...what are you sayin'?"

"Ah wanna go wit' you, Ah want to fight wit' the X-men, if they'll have me. We got a common enemy now, n' Ah've never had a real cause worth fightin' fo' til now." He kissed her other gloved hand "Let's go, you gotta eat...an' Ah'm drivin'. Already lifted yo' keys."

She was speechless, frustrated, and hungry. He had the last word for now, but first they needed to get back on the road.


	7. doubtful guest

The bar and grill was small and ill lit, but the food was good, and they thankfully had a pay phone. Rogue used what was left of her change on, what she was sure was the last pay phone on the east coast, to call home once more. She'd been dreading this phone call, it was nice to know there were things you could count on, like Kitty always answering the phone.

"Hey Kitty, its me."

"Rogue! Finally! Are you okay? Were are you?"

"I'm fine, tired, but fine. I'm right outside of Philadelphia. Look, Kitty I need you ta get a bedroom ready for me."

"Is this for your guy? The one that you went to go help? No way!"

"He ain't 'my' guy n' Ah call it recruiting, he wants to fight with us. I need you to set up room 519 for me."

"519? That's not what's up on the roster."

"I know Kitty, just please do it for me. I need that room."

"Okay Rogue, but you have to tell me who he is." Kitty's was tired of Rogue running from her questions.

"C'mon Kitty! I don't see why-"

"I've been covering for you for, like, ever, you owe me! And I'll just tell them your coming in with a new mutant that wants to join up. I'll probably have to say he's a guy, but that's it. I promise!"

"Fine! But you have to trust me on this, Kitty."

"I do, I do! I won't say anything!"

"Do you 'member Gambit?" Rogue immediately held the phone away from her ear, she knew what was coming.

"Uh, the guy who kidnapped you?! Have you lost it completely, Rogue?! He's tried to blow us up before! Like literally- blow- us- up!"

"It wasn't like that! Look, Ah told you that you had ta trust me on this. In a way Ah actually owed the guy, n' as you recall Ah wasn't always on the X-men's side now was Ah? N' pretty soon Kitty, were gonna need all the help we can get. Its bad, down south, real bad."

"Okay Rogue, I'll get the room ready, but you better be right about this. I'm also not the only one you gotta convince."

"Thanks, and ah know. Ah'll be home by tonight."

"Bye, Rogue." Kitty hung up the phone and took a deep breath. "Gambit..." Kitty sighed aloud, just before coming face to face with Nightcrawler. The look on his face was disbelief.

"I thought that's what you said..." Kurt put his hand to his forehead, he was trying to process the news. "What is she thinking?! Gambit!? Why stop there? Lets just take in the whole Brotherhood! Or better yet, Apocalypse! At least with Apocalypse we know everything about him!" Kurt threw his hands up in frustration, how could she be so stupid? Gambit wasn't a fool, he did whatever it took to get what he wanted. His ability to manipulate and deceive was just as big a weapon as his kinetically charged playing cards.

" She's been good about keeping in contact. Its not like she's been totally M.I.A.." Kitty would have told someone right away if she would have known Gambit was involved, but Rogue was so sure, and she really did sound like she knew what she was doing. To Kitty, Rogue was always strong, moody sure, but very capable.

"Kitty! Why didn't you say something earlier?! I can't believe you wouldn't have told me where my own sister was!" It was all of their roles to look out for each other, but Rogue was more family then any of them. She was a connection to his mother, a real blood mother. At one point he would fantasize about Mystique joining professor Xavier's cause; living in the mansion with them, being a mother to him, and his beautiful sister under the same roof. Family just gave life so much more meaning. He would have everything that everyone around him took for granted, if he could just keep Rogue safe it was like his fantasy, or something like it, was still attainable.

"Kurt calm down, she sounds fine, and she'll be home tonight." Kitty crossed her arms feeling uneasy. Kurt didn't want to scare her, he loved Kitty, but she needed to know what this was, what they were dealing with. He looked into Kitty's eyes, hands on her shoulders. She needed to understand.

"Of course she sounds fine! She doesn't know any better, this guy is bad news, Kitty. He'll tell her whatever she wants or needs to hear so that she would help him! I've done my homework on this guy. Right after we got back from New Orleans I pulled files that we siphoned off Magneto's database, he's been a professional criminal his entire life. Raised and taught by con men, thieves, murders and who knows, who else? You, more than others, know people don't just change like that." Kurt of course was referring to Lance. Kitty wanted so badly to believe that love from the right person could change someone. Acceptance could be like this magic cure, but people were what they were. She had to learn the hard way, and now, maybe Rogue was too. "This guy, this 'Gambit' has the mutant ability to sway your opinion, its like, he could be the world's best lawyer, lying for the highest bidder. And now he's coming here? Our home. With my sister wrapped around his finger. How I'm I able to calm down?"

"Kurt...I-I'm-" That was it. Kitty couldn't come up with anything else to say.

"I know. And I want to trust Rogue too, but we all make mistakes. Let's just hope, for his sake, she gets here safe and sound. Or he'll have to deal with me."


	8. Make the misere (cause troublemisery)

In an hour they'd be home, well Rogue would be home. It was questionable if they wanted to take in a guy that once stood along side Magneto willingly. But how things were going, maybe they'd be fighting along side Magneto himself pretty soon. It wouldn't have been the first time.

"Looks like we got company Cher." Ahead of them traveling a on a hiking trail was another motorcycle darting and weaving around trees, and doing a horrible job of being unnoticed.

"Wha?"

Having played the role before Remy knew a scout when he saw one. That, and the "Soldiers of humanity" cut off leather vest was a dead give away.

"He's headin' for the institute!" The Xavier Institute was the only thing on this particular stretch of road, and the long rifle strapped to his back wasn't for taking pictures of the sea side view.

"Get along side him, Cher. Ah got him."

Thanks to Logan's bike it wasn't difficult to get, and stay along side him. He barely had time to react, as Remy charged a fifth of clovers, and dislodged a large branch from a tree directly in front of the scout's bike. He tried to slam on the breaks, but it was too late. The bike flipped over the branch and totaled, the driver was luckier then his bike, he hit ,side first into a tree. Rogue sharply u-turned, and pulled the bike in front of the dazed scout. Remy jumped from the bike and solidly landed behind the would be assailant.

"You look lost, homme, you best go back de way you come."

"You won't stop anything mutie!" He scrambled for his gun, and fired off an ill aimed shot, directly at his totaled bike, the gun recoiled, and broke his shoulder, a bullet casing caught in the gun's breech, and jammed. He desperately tried to fire again to no avail. He was pretty hyper for someone who clearly had broken a couple of ribs, and now his shoulder.

"We'll stop plenty if y'all are this stupid." Rogue got off her bike and approached the pathetic man.

"Two of you, huh? Sure...ugh, kill me... but there's going to be more and more of us!...You won't stop anything!" He spoke through bloody teeth, expecting them to be as violent as he was. Rogue and Remy stared at each other for a moment. He was actually waiting to be murdered. Rogue shook her head.

"Kill you? You must be mistakin' us for people like you-"

"You ain't people! You stupid mutate! You talk...ugh... and even look like us some...times, but you ain't people! And... there are more of us than you..ugh, first we take care of you, then that school of yours up the road...ugh, all your friends...soon we'll make it so... so we got our people standin' outside'a every delivery room in the country...ugh...just in case we get one that looks like that brother of yours...w-we'll take care o'those monsters the second...they're pushed out..." before he could finish painting the picture of his demented hopes and dreams, Remy punched him in the jaw, twice. Once to shut him up, and a second time to put himself in a good mood.

"Ah've had more den enough o'dat. C'mon, Cher, he ain't goin' nowhere n' we gotta get to de institute."

"Wait..." Rogue was horrified, how much did they know about her friends? How much did they know about her? What else were they planning?

"Rogue? What are you doin'?"

"Gettin' information..." Rogue took off her glove and before Remy could protest, Rogue ever so slightly touched his bare shoulder and screamed. "AHH!...THEY'LL KILL US! MONSTERS! Ugh! Remy!" Rogue fell to the ground, covering her ears. The panic, anger, and hatred was like a tidal wave of painful screaming. She was suddenly paranoid, something in her wanted her to defend herself and she tried grabbing the jammed gun. Remy grabbed her from behind and held her tightly. "GET OFF'A ME YA MUTANT FREAK!...You know freak, I got my eye on your mutie, girlfriend, we'll get her taken care of pretty quick...stop the problem before you two freaks can start a new one!...AHH!... Remy?" Rogue was fighting for control. Remy tried to tune out the voice, this wasn't Rogue, this wasn't his girl, it was the real monster slumped and bloody against a tree.

"Focus girl! Listen to me, fight it! You gotta force out dis poison, Cher." Rogue singled out Remy's voice among the screaming in her head."Ah need you back wit' me, girl. Just focus, Rogue. Remy's right here." She forced the personality back, and followed Remy's breathing, she felt his chest inhale and exhale into her back. Slowly the anger quieted, the panic calmed, and the hatred cooled, he was still there in her head screaming terrible threats, but she needed to be okay now. "You okay, Cher?"

" Ah think so, but don't let go yet..." Rogue felt like Remy was holding her together, she needed something familiar, she needed her own reactions to things, to make sure she was still inside her own head. "Remy...did...did Ah say anything really bad?" Trying to function and think on her own again was like walking with a sharp cramp.

"You didn' say nothing you gotta worry 'bout, Cher. Can you walk alright?" What had just transpired scared Remy, the sight of her overwhelmed by another person was disturbing, even more horrific was what she saying. Hatred that Remy knew Rogue was too strong to be capable of.

"Ah'll be okay. I didn't touch long at all, but this guy's insane! Ah'll deal with it later. Ah guess they got people goin' to our school informin' this 'Soldiers of Humanity' group about any students they been suspectin' o'bein'...different. Its not just us either, they got kids all over rattin' out each other out." Rogue began putting together the puzzle of memories and information. "Mah principal's part'a this! He gave this group everything! Names, profiles, addresses, they have everything! All in exchange for pushin' himself through ta be elected next month!"

"We best be goin' now Cher. Look!" Behind them a pale gray light, beginning to turn around a distant ridge, it was an army of engines and armed men making their way straight for them "Another hour an' they'll be on top 'o us."

"...Remy, there's more, they're also comin' up from behind the school, they got to usin' boats now. They're plannin' on surroundin' us!"

"Then that means we out numbered, Cher. We goin' ta need some fire power...so Ah'm lendin' you some."


	9. Bienvenue a la Maison (Welcome Home)

"If we're doin' dis yo' not goin' in wit'out a weapon. An' Ah'm not gon' ta have much self control when it comes to dis, so jus' take enough so I can come back quick." Even with this war just miles away from them, and a man unconscious and bleeding to the right of them, Remy still had that grin. "No reason we can't make the best outta a bad situation, non?" Remy looped an arm around her waist and drew her close.

"Remy, n-no...we-Ah can't!-" Rogue's heart felt as through it froze in her chest. It wasn't like she hadn't 'borrowed' powers before, but this felt far more intimate, far more dangerous. A kiss would make everything she wanted to deny and ignore real, a beginning of something that might turn into love. A risk she never wanted to subject another person to, imprisoned by her circumstance, but she couldn't ignore the fact that it was something she desperately wanted.

"Extenduatin' circumstances. Ah'm makin' dis call, n' we out gunned, petite. You see dat." Remy tighten his arm around her waist, and pretended he couldn't hear his heart beating through his shirt. He pulled out two boxes of fresh playing cards. "Ah can spare des', keep yo' gloves on, an' don' touch anythin' til Ah come to." Remy would never admit it but he was actually shaking. Partially because of a possible coma, but mostly it was the anticipation of getting closer to something he had never considered for himself. "Please don't be mad at me fo' enjoyin' dis."

"Ah'm tryin' not to..." It all seemed to go in slow motion, he went in closer than he ever did, then closer still, his kiss was so soft. She had denied herself this, this wasn't for her, something so typical, so usual for everyone, but not her. Every first kiss is special, but his kiss stopped the war, it felt like they were the only people in the world. The numbing fear, the sickening thoughts of what could happen to her friends melted away. She breathed him in, savoring every fleeting second. It was perfect. That is, until they both collapsed, Rogue to her knees, Remy on his back. Rogue clutched her head, covering both ears with her hands, trying in vain to muffle the rush of Remy's feelings, emotions, memories-excitement, lust, the spicy favor of maque choux.

" Ahh! Oh, Pauve t'bete, Jennings!...Ugh!...Rogue petite, ever'thin' be fine Cher," Rogue couldn't stopping reciting memories. Remy's memories, language, and feelings came flooding out of her, like an immunity trying to fight off a disease. Rogue's mind fought to keep itself together. "Remy? Wake up!" Her eyes glowed a deep red, "C'mon Remy, J'ai besoin de vous!"

Remy stirred a bit, he was fighting to regain consciousness," Wha? Dat kiss... packed its own... punch, Cher? Cher!" He was taken off guard by her eyes, or more accurately he was looking into a replica of his own eyes. "Yo' eyes have been prettier, girl."

"Remy...Ugh! Fait pas une esquandal! ...is like tryin' to t'ink n' talk wit' yo' head in rushin' water!" Rogue fought the rush of noise in her head, as Remy sat up, dizzy.

"C'mon petite, focus on me here, we gotta get to the institute b'fore they do!" Remy knelt in front of her, and held her arms. He was trying to get her to focus on their mission, not on his memories, it didn't seem like she absorbed anything incriminating. "Please Cher, talk!" Remy thought, "What of me do you got in yo' head, girl?" He felt a new kind of panic in his chest, whatever she got, arbitrary or detrimental it didn't matter, he just needed to know, he just wanted her to speak.

"Ah'm tryin'... it all be comin' back, Neg." It was like a roaring crowd melting down to a dull hum. Double vision became one focused image of Remy trying to help pull her together. "Mais Remy, Ah t'ink Ah can stand now."

"Neg?" Remy smiled, no one outside of the bayou had called him 'Neg' in years. "Yo' soundin' a lil west o'Mississippi, Cher."

"Ah know, de accent will fade, but dat's not what we concerned about." Rogue grabbed a straight flush of diamonds from the cards Remy had given her, charged them into a brightly glowing fan of kinetic energy, took aim, and blew out a good twenty feet of road. It would at least disable some of their momentum and, hopefully it would buy them a little time.

"Les' go, Remy."

* * *

maque choux; pronounced "mok shoo" a dish made with corn, green pepper, tomatoes, and onions, cooked with bacon grease, butter, or cream. yum!

Pauve t'bete; poor thing!

J'ai besoin de vous: I need you.

Fait pas une esquandal: Don't make so much noise!

Neg: term of endearment for a Cajun male

* * *

Rogue drove the rest of the way to give Remy time to recuperate and she also didn't want anyone seeing Remy driving Logan's bike. Once they pulled into the garage they were surrounded by curious onlookers, and suspicious not too happy bystanders. Least happy of all was Kurt "Nightcrawler" Wagner, who coldly eyed the newest "recruit" riding with his sister.

"C'mon guys! Its been a long drive an' we need ta get in. We got big problems. Where are de others?" Rogue took off her helmet, and just wanted to get the mansion locked down and ready.

"They're still not back yet, we needed you here Rogue you shouldn't have taken off like-Wha?...What happened to your eyes...YOU!" Kurt was the first to put it together, and of course, think the worst, he was, for all intents and purposes, playing the role of protective brother. Kurt instinctively teleported grabbing Remy by the collar, and teleported them both to the other end of the garage slamming him against the garage wall. The trip knocked the wind out of Remy.

"Ugh! Hold on!" Gambit realized at that moment what Kurt was implying, he can't say he wouldn't have done the same thing if he was in Kurt's position. Rogue was the closest family Kurt had here.

"JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! You think you can just play with people like this?!" Kurt was seething, the one person that Kurt had promised himself would never come near his sister again, and clearly had gotten closer than ever.

"It ain't like that! She came ta help me, an' now Ah wanna help de X-men!" The intense yellow glow of Kurt's eyes told him he wasn't listening to anything Gambit had to say. This was feeling all too familiar, "Not dis again...ol' habits die harder den others." Gambit thought sadly.

"KURT! STOP! He's right! Ah'm sorry Kurt, we'll 'bout dis talk soon, Ah promise. But we got bigger problems." Rogue softly put her hand on Kurt's shoulder. "Please Kurt, were bein' attacked, an' we need de help! Most o'all now, wit' de X-men bein' gone."

Kurt stared at Gambit for a moment, then pushed him off to the side, and turned his back to Gambit. He then turned to Rogue and looked into her red and black eyes. The accent she had acquired from Gambit was just adding insult to injury. "Your voice is annoying. Let's get ready." Kurt said coldly.


	10. L'amour et la guerre (love and war)

Quietly the caravan of armed vehicles slowly rolled onto the edge of the Xavier institute property and the men began spidering out onto the lawn. Dark faceless shadows began to surround the front of the building; in their mind's they preparing to become heros. Ready to end the mutant threat. They allowed a white news van to park off to the side, and adjust their camera to they're exact specifications. They were part of the cause, to perpetuate the seriousness of the mutant threat. The camera crew set up a perfect shot where the chaos would perfectly framed up in the background and the anchorman prepared to go live.

"Come on, come on, aren't we ready yet? Remember they said to shoot to the left of the doors." The camera man straightened his tie and tried to practised his look of panic.

"Almost done! I just needed to make a minor adjustment."

"Your not my camera guy...where's Barry? Who is that?"

"I'm Kitty! Barry told me to tell you, he quit. I guess I don't know how to work a camera, sorry! I couldn't figure out where all these extra pieces went! This thing should really come with a guide or manual or something. Bye!" Kitty waved as she gracefully swan dived phasing into the ground disappearing from the bewildered sight of the anchorman.

"Wha? My camera!"

* * *

Around the back of the institute a loud clanking against the cliff rock meant the enemy was attempting to scale the cliff wall behind the institute, but Rogue and Iceman had it well within their control. With the loan from Gambit she charged the grappling hooks that clung to the cliff, and with a kinetic blast, they were blown back into the sea water. Using a spiraling ice slide down the cliff side, Bobby boarded one of the boats and froze their mortars in a block of ice, along with a pile of ammo. Bobby screamed suddenly as he took a gunshot shot into his left pectoral. It was clear they weren't practising any restraint, the fact they were a little more than children, meant nothing.

"Bobby!" Rogue rode Iceman's slide down onto the boat, she touched his arm and borrowed a little ice. Creating her own ice, she now had her own endless supply of kinetic ice daggers. Bobby was going into shock.

"Shoot them!" A faceless voice yell among the panic.

"Not today." Rogue thought as she froze the boat dense and solid, it began to sink. "C'mon Bobby, snap outta it! Ah need ya, please!" Bobby did come to, and like a real X-man, he froze a thick wall behind his teammate protecting her from gunfire coming from another boat. A slam of a fired mortar from somewhere hit the side of the sinking boat, and blew them both into the water. The water was freezing, but Rogue barely noticed, she was frantically searching the dark water for Bobby. Rogue lit up the water like a firework as she sent a large kinetically charged ice torpedo directly into a another boat; breaking open a good section of the hull, it then began to sink quickly. Which was affective until they started shooting into the water and Rogue was starting to suffocate. A black cloud filled the water in front of her, she felt a tightness wrap around her and in a flash they were at the top of the cliff again. Rogue was coughing up water, as she saw Kurt's relieved face.

"Thanks for the lift Kurt! Where's Bobby?!" She clung to his arm, eyes darting around in search for they're young teammate.

"What's family for?" Kurt smiled, "and who do you think told me where you were?" Bobby then emerged from the side of the cliff buying them time, as he froze awning just over the cliff.

A bright flash blared behind Kurt, metal disks whipped passed Rogue's face; Kurt screamed as one of the disks cut open his shoulder, Rogue felt a warm spray of blood on her face. "Kurt's hit!" Rogue yelled. Bobby iced a wall in front of them. Bullets where cracking the ice apart quicker then he could make it. What sounded like a grenade, went off and landed to the right of them.

"Brace yo'self Bobby!" What look like a flaming ball, was falling right on top of them. Rogue held Kurt tightly as she attempted to roll out of the way. The fire ball shattered a good ten feet above them on to what looked like an invisible dome over them.

"What? Jean!" Bobby looked above them to see the blackbird hovering just off the cliff, and Jean smiling over them.

"Hey guys! We'll take care of the back, get around front, Scott and Logan will meet you there!" Jean proceeded to cover them as they ran out from under her protective barrier. Rogue pulled Nightcrawler up and made their way for the front lawn. Logan was jumping from jeep to jeep taking out gunmen and drivers, in some cases Logan didn't even bother hitting them. He simply pulled the driver out of the driver's seat and threw them over his shoulder. In retrospect covered vehicles probably would have been the way to go. Some of the vehicles were actually turning around and heading back to the main road. No one could agree if they were cowards or they finally realized what they were dealing with.

"Kurt do you want to get inside with the others? If they get inside will need you there anyway." The under-class men were positioned inside the mansion, they would be another line of defense if the Humanity Soldiers broke their way into the institute. "Kurt, if yer not gonna be okay, you can sit this out for now-" Rogue held her brother, who was bleeding far too much for her not to be concerned.

"No, I'll be okay. Lets take the express way to the party!" Nightcrawler teleported them all to the front of the mansion.

* * *

In front of the mansion...

Kitty was was working underground grabbing vehicles from underneath and pulling them half into the ground. Their drivers didn't know how to fight a ghost, especially one that could take out a whole jeep by just touching it. Using his optic blast, Cyclops covered her from the top of the mansion with Sam "Cannonball" Guthrie, Beast, and Gambit.

"Hey one-eye, what'd you say to a lil' aerial attack?" Gambit shuffled a fresh deck of cards.

"If you got an idea, now would be the time, Sam's the one you gotta talk to if you want to get in the air" Scott knew while in motion, a kinetic blast wouldn't effect the human cannonball. "And Gambit," Scott called out, Gambit stopped and look back at Scott, "show us your worth our time." Scott wasn't thrilled about coming home to Gambit's helping hands, but none of them had the luxury of options. Gambit just smiled at him, and turn to Cannonball.

"Sam, right?" Remy knew they needed to cover more ground several small mobs of men were still trying to swarm the mansion, if overwhelmed, could do some real damage.

"Yes'sir." Sam stood to attention.

"Its Remy, an' you know de term 'death from above', Sam?" Remy charged an entire deck of playing cards and passed them over to Sam.

"Yes'sir!" Sam's grin grew wide as Remy gave him the charged deck. Remy wasn't used to team work really, but he knew a good opportunity when he saw one.

"Sam, its 'Remy', here take 'em up, make it rain."

"Yes'sir!" Sam was eager to make a dent in this fight. He was one of only a few underclass men they wanted to be in their first line of defense.

"Rem- fo'get it, go!"

Sam accelerated into the air, and poured a kinetic fifty-two pickup over the fleet of swarming armed Humanity Soldiers. Gambit scaled down the front of the building and began sending charged cards under vehicles and flipping them. He grabbed a jack of diamonds and took aim at a large man positioning a bazooka at the metal shutters down over the institutes main entrance. He knew the younger children were inside, if that missile blew out the front of the building those kids would be as good as dead. One murderous man's life to spare many innocent children's was a clear decision but, Remy still hesitated. The man was large and slow, a slightly charged card would blow his neck open, a second charged card in the neck gash would easily knock the skull cleanly off the spinal-cord, the shot would be child's play. A cloud of brimstone smoke manifested next to him, Nightcrawler emerged from it and shoved him to the ground. Nightcrawler had made the choice for him.

"X-men don't kill!" Nightcrawler looked down coldly at him.

"Well they do!" Gambit was to his knees as Beast came down onto the soldier's chest pushing the launcher out of his hands and sending his missile into an over turned vehicles. Nightcrawler teleported out-of-the-way. The explosion was huge, and sent a spray of glass and metal across Gambit's chest and stomach. It felt like someone had hit him in the torso with a baseball bat full of nails.

"Ugh!" Gambit groaned as he fell to his side, the wind was totally knocked out of him. Rogue was just in time to see him fall, and notice a gutsy humanity soldier get close enough to throw another flaming molotov cocktail in front of Gambit.

"No...!" She dove in front of him trying to put up an ice wall before the wave of fire could hit. It only half worked, Rogue took the brunt out of the fire bomb, but not before she could burn her arms. Rogue screamed.

"Rogue!" Nightcrawler yelled out to her. He teleported to Rogue's side as sheets of cold rain began to fall. Storm rose over them, with all the power of a Goddess she brought with her hurricane winds, hail, and lightening. Guns did nothing in the face of a centralized hurricane. With their remaining resources depleted, and men down, absent, or out of ammo they began to pull back. Some not having a choice as they were literally blow back and off the property.

"Fall back! Fall back! Regroup! Regroup-!" Commanded one of the only still standing soldiers that looked like he had some sort of rank. Logan landed firmly in front of him, his heavy metal frame planted him solidly of the commanding soldier. Claws out, motionless, and baring teeth. "There won't be any regrouping, Bub. You come back, I send you back in pieces." In one swift movement Logan sliced through the soldiers long gun barrel, effortless. The soldier was unafraid, he simply dropped was left of his gun, smiled, and stomped off the property. It was unnerving. Logan knew all they did was buy themselves time.

"Alright!" Bobby shouted victoriously, " Don't mess with the X-men!" He tried to throw a fist in the air, but recoiled, the pain in his pectoral interrupted his celebration.


	11. Laisser retomber la poussière

"I can't say we couldn't have done without yer help, Gumbo. But thanks." Logan forced the words out of his mouth, as he looked over who was, quite possibly, their newest recruit. To Logan, he had proven himself for now, but he was still a long way off from being trusted. That and it didn't help that Gambit was way too close to Rogue for his comfort. Things would have been much different if Logan had gotten the same reception Nightcrawler did. Theft of his bike aside, Rogue and Logan were people cut from the same cloth, they understood each other. And though Gambit had bought himself some time among them, Logan didn't like him. Plain and simple.

Everyone was just starting to breath again after hours of making sure that the shots had stopped. Everyone was still pretty jumpy, and emotions were still high, but the room was filled with quiet chatter as everyone licked their wounds. Dr. McCoy was sewing stitches on Nightcrawler's shoulder, who was way too distracted with a certain scumbag draped all over his sister, to even notice the pain. Gambit was grinning flirtatiously as he careful cleaned the burns on Rogue's wrists, coyly she smiled as he blew softly on her burns to keep the disinfectant from stinging. She wasn't bad at playing with Gambit's kinetic energy but, she'd leave it up to him from now on. Well maybe, his attention was...nice. Kitty was using her ability to "phase" to pull bullet fragments out of Iceman's chest, who was munching on a bag of pretzels. Bobby was the envy of almost everyone, as long as he stayed "iced-up" nothing hurt.

"Its 'Gambit'," he repeated good naturedly, after all it was only the forth or seventeenth time he had to correct someone as to what his name was, "an' it was a pleasure. An' dis won' be de last time, Mon ami."

"He's right, its bigger than we think. They got people informin' this group, armin' them with everythin' they need to know 'bout us." Rogue gasped slightly as Gambit wrapped her wrist, "An' this time it was Mr. Kelly, he was givin' 'em everythin'."

"You mean, like, 'principal' Kelly?!" Kitty was shocked, she never liked Principal Kelly, but she never thought he would go so far. Hating people so much- hating innocent kids so much, that you'd help deliver them up to executioners?

"Yup, all in exchange to get pulled through in the elections next month." Rogue said sadly.

"Wait Rogue, do you mean this group has the ability to just hand over a seat in the state senate?" exchanged looks with Logan. Calling off the aid from armed forces was one thing, that was half the reason the X-men were formed, if the public needed aid helping the mutant cause they would be there, to keep the peace, but cutting off all possible aid that the government would provide if mutated individuals were being attacked meant they were totally on their own, and if the wrong people were in power, not only would they always be on their own, mutants would become illegal. That could lead to the chance of a second Holocaust, this time on American soil. Industrialized murder, the very idea was nauseating.

"That's right...um...no, that's not right, not the senate exactly." Rogue reached deep into the part of her mind that contained the information that she had taken from the scout she had touched, and unfortunately, his personality came right along with it. "Its higher then that, you know. Were going to make that man president. And we got the funds and power to do it fast" Rogue smiled a smile that seemed unnatural. "That man will clean up this country. 'President Kelly's' got a real nice ring to it." Her voice sounded deeper, rougher, and cold.

"Where did her accent go?" Asked Bobby as he leaned over to Kurt. "Something isn't right, Bobby." Kurt eyed Rogue balling his fists and searching the room to see if anyone saw what he saw.

"The sooner the better. Maybe if your lucky, they'll throw some money into a cure to fix some of you. Others like those two...things" Rogue, pointed out Kurt and Dr. McCoy "They won't waste their time on trying to curing that level of freak, we'll just take things like that around back to bleed out. That demon lookin' thing might take a sliver bullet or something. I just hope I'm the one that gets to pull the trigger." That horrible smile got wider as this possessed person pointed at Kurt and pretended to pull an imaginary trigger.

"Rogue! Cher, come back to us." Gambit grabbed the hand pointed at Kurt and squeezed it. Rogue blinked, that foreign smile was gone, and her face changed slightly. "Yo' here wit' de X-men Cher, an' me...its Remy."

"Remy?" Everyone was staring directly at her; Her eyes grew wide as everyone was silent, whatever she said, it was something hurtful. Kitty's eyes began to tear. looked terrified by both the dark premonition and by what came out of his student's mouth. And the look on Kurt's face was heartbreaking. She covered her mouth with her hand, mortified. "Ah'm so sorry everyone, Ah didn' mean ta say whatever Ah said! It's me but, it's not really me, Ah mean, Ah ...Ah gotta get outta here...Sorry." She quickly bolted for the door.

"Rogue, wait Cher, we know dat's not you. Rogue!" Gambit got up to go after her.

"Gambit! You wait! What was that about?" Scott demanded. One of their most dedicated members just gleefully threatened her own family, they all deserved an answer.

"It was one o'dem Soldiers of Humanity guys, we jumped one scountin' ahead on de way here. She grabbed him, an' Ah guess she hasn't got him outta her system jus' yet. De man was insane." Rogue threatening her nearest and dearest was the least of Gambit's worries, if personalities were able to lay dormant and resurface if she concentrated could memories? His memories? That familiar panic gripped his chest tightly.

"And you didn't exactly do anything to stop her, huh? What else did you expose her to while you two had all this time together?" Kurt growled angrily. He hated Gambit's presence in the mansion, he was only there because the X-men were in a desperate situation and he was able to lend a hand, but now they were actually talking about letting him on the team; no questions asked? Just like that? Did they all forget who he was?

"You know, Ah've had it up to here wit' you 'little brother'. You been on me ever since Ah got here. Yo' not de only one dat cares 'bout dat girl."

"Oh please! We've all seen how you 'care' about others, in the end you'll do whatever it takes to get what you want 'thief'!" This war was aging these kids into adulthood faster then time. The rules on everything were becoming more complex, childhood was over.

"Kurt your stitches, your not done yet." 's attempt to defuse the situation, but Kurt wasn't listening to anyone anymore. Kurt pulled away from and stood firmly in front Gambit. His eyes began to glow a bright yellow as Gambit smiled smugly down at him. To Kurt he was begging to be teleported off a cliff.

"Ah'm not goin' deny what Ah was, but Rogue made her own decisions." Though he spoke calmly, Gambit had, had it. There were bigger things happening. Gambit hadn't expected a warm reception, but Nightcrawler was the only one physically fighting him every step of the way.

"That's just it 'Gambit' you manipulate people into only THINKING they've made their own decisions! You've made a living out of using people! And it seems to me every 'decision' she's made around YOU, has gotten her hurt and benefits you! Do Rogue, and all of us a favor: Stop pretending you care and leave!" That was the final line, Gambit was done being pushed.

"Not b'fore we spend some quality time together 'lil brother'!" Gambit's eyes let off a deep red glow. The room was silent, everyone exchanged glances with each other not really sure what to do or say.

"Really? I think I got time now." Kurt teleported behind him and shoved him forward. The gloves were off, if they were using powers, Gambit was more then happy to oblige.

Gambit spun on his heel, recovered and grabbed him by the uniform collar and began to charge it into an explosive red glow. "C'est magnifique! 'Cause my schedual wide open, homme." The small space between them was suddenly occupied with three sharp blades of adamantium.

"Kurt! Gambit! Shut up both o'you!" Logan was furious no one had time or energy for this . "Power down, and take a walk Cajun! Now! And Kurt sit down!"

"Fine! Ah was gonna check on Rogue anyway... " Gambit de-charged Kurt's shirt, and shoved him back. " je vas te passe une calotte... " Gambit grumbled bitterly as he went out the door.

"I heard that!..." Not that Kurt could speak french, but he got the idea.

"Is'a promise, boy!" Gambit called back as he went down the hall.

"Last warning guys! Walk faster Gambit! Kurt sit down n' finish gettin' stitched! Now!" Logan demanded. Wasn't it enough to fight a war? He had to take care of squabbling children too? If they started dividing now they wouldn't last long.

Kitty had just finished with Bobby, and ran after Gambit.

"Hey wait up! Wait! Hey, Rory!" Kitty jogged to catch up.

Gambit sighed "Its REMY, girl! Gotta spell it out fo' you people. What you want, petite? Ah'm in no mood."

"Oh Remy, right sorry, here I just wanted to give you this, Rogue had me set you up in room 519. The Professor okayed it for now." Kitty passed off the room keys."There's a spare set of bed clothes in the closet and you got your own bathroom."

"Huh? You mean yo' not 'fraid o'me robbin' de place n' causin, problems?"

"A little, yeah." She shrugged. "But Rogue trusts you, and I trust her so, ya know..." Kitty was uncomfortable around him, but she made a promise to Rogue. "And that thing with Kurt, he's a good guy its just-"

"Ah get it Kitty, Ah really do. Nothin' Ah can't handle, Ah'm not here fo' him you know?" He smiled warmly at her before he turned and started to walk away.

"Oh yeah? Wait, do you mean to fight with us, or for Rogue?"

"Sure. G'night girl."

-

The room was nice, real nice, but what room wasn't nice inside of a mansion? The bed was comfortable, the pants fit, a guy could get used to this; this part, not the whole battle in the front yard thing. Wearing a shirt was next to impossible, he hadn't had a chance to tend to his own wounds after he cut his shirt off; he felt shards of glass still in his chest and stomach, but what was really bothering him was that he couldn't find Rogue. He walk along the back of the house, and gardens. He ran into Storm and Jean, they were playing clean up crew, removing debris and double checking for any lingering visitors.

"Good evenin' ladies! " Remy called up to them. Storm floated down softly, a cloud of air cushioned her landing. Jean simply stepped down off her telekinetic platform.

"Hi." Jean said awkwardly. She wanted to give him a chance , she sensed he was actually sincere, but part of him was so dark and guarded. He was certainly hiding something. Jean was sure of it. Surprisingly to herself she felt the need to run from him, because she felt an intense willingness to converse with him, and a strong urge to be alone with him. A wanting made all the stronger by his naked upper body, and a nearly irresistible smile.

"Good evening, Gambit." Storm was hopeful and warm. She, herself was a reformed street thief, and was happy to have Gambit here. Storm read people well, and Gambit had all the readiness and ambition that she had when she wanted more for her own life then just picking pockets, and creeping into locked houses.

"Remy, please." Remy took to Storm right away, not just because she was the only friendly face he had seen since Rogue, but the way she moved. Her light step, and fluidity of her hands, it was strangely home to him, her lovely dark skin reminded him of the beautiful Creole girls he had come to fall in love with at every Zydeco dance he went to growing up.

"Ororo then, Ororo Munroe. At last we formally meet. " Storm extended her hand. Remy gracefully excepted and kissed the back of her hand.

"At last, indeed." Remy smiled, "Remy Lebeau, at your service." Ever the charmer, Remy began familiarizing his way into this new environment in his favorite way... kissing beautiful women. Storm was smitten by this young man, and even though she knew this seductive method well, she couldn't say she didn't enjoy it. It was all a game to get you to lower your guard, she had done it herself, but Gambit was one of the best she had ever seen. It almost worked on her, it was tempting to let it continue.

"Just Jean for now, Remy. Storm, I'm sure we're alone here, so I'm going to check on the others and turn in." Jean thought it best to remove herself from the situation seeing as she was having an issue keeping her focus on her task, rather then their new teammate; also she didn't think Scott would appreciate her leering attention. "Goodnight, guys." She levitated above them trying to keep her eyes off of Remy. "Oh, and Remy... welcome. Breakfast is at six." She meant for it to be an off hand comment, but really it was the irresistible desire of having his attention on her again. His attention just felt so good.

"Lookin' fo'ward to it... Jean." He flashed her a menacing smile, and draped his thick accent over Jean's name like a fine velvet shawl, this made her blush intensely, she then turn way as fast as she was able to, and quickly made her way back to the mansion.

"If your trying to win over your new team mates, Remy, I don't think that would be the best way to do it." Storm smiled, shaking her head at his shameless behavior.

"Maybe yo'right n'maybe its fun, an' Ah never said Ah was any kind o'Defan just 'cause Ah'm a good guy now." He shrugged smugly and grinned.

"Was there any other reason you came out tonight? Other than to reek havok on our female students? And possibly catch a cold?" Storm smiled as she pointed out his lack of clothing.

"Yes, 'matter a fact. Ah was hopin' ta find Rogue somewhere 'round here. She took off once she had a bad...a spell." Remy wasn't sure what to call it.

"She began transitioning. I know its a bit jarring, but it will pass. She's strong, more than even she knows." As those words passed her lips Remy's demeanor changed. Reflective, almost dreamy, his smile softened. Storm couldn't help but notice, had the charmer been charmed by their Rogue?

" Yo' don' need ta tell me dat, Ah got a lesson on dat firs' hand." He sounded impressed, excited to talk about Rogue to someone that knew her intimately.

"Not to say that the girl is invulnerable, Remy. When it comes to matters of the heart, much damage has been done in her case. Please tread lightly, respect her space, and I am sure you know, she has many keepers here." As much as she liked the idea of allowing a young mutant the chance for reforming himself, her first priority as a mentor was the well being of her students. When it came to track records for being used or betrayed by loved ones Rogue would be number one with a bullet.

"Tell me somethin' Ah don' know, made a few o'those acquaintances earlier. An' Ah'm not tryin' ta be any kind o' traiteur or bon rien for dat matter, Ah just like the girl. Nothin' more. But what Ah'm really lookin' for here is a new start, Ah made a mess o' de firs'. Ah'm hopin' de X-men is at least a good place ta try n' get it right dis time. Ah'm counting Magneto as de last bad decision Ah made before finally gettin' somethin' right."

"Admirable," Storm smiled, " Exactly what I thought when I agreed to join the professor here, and leave Africa. And The most important corner stone to a new beginning, Remy, was to atone for my sins. I removed them, before they could complicated my future, otherwise everything falls apart- your trust, your team, family...even love. Burying ghosts never works, it may take time, but they will eventually rise to haunt you."

"Not ta be impertinent...but why are you tellin' me dis?" Remy was trying to play coy. Ororo didn't really understand, so Remy thought, some ghosts are just too strong to be exorcised.

"Just sharing a lesson well learned from one forgiven criminal to another." Storm used her ability to control wind to pull herself up into the night and hung for a moment over Remy. "Though it would be best to leave Rogue to herself, she usually can be found in the gym, or in gazebo garden along the cliff side. Good night, Remy, and welcome to the X-men."

C'est magnifique- That's great, or Oh great.

je vas te passe une calotte- To threaten to hit someone.

Defan- Sainted person

traiteur- A Healer

bon rien - A no good person, or lazy person

Zydeco- traditional Cajun dancing/music


	12. Une confession, balaye propre

After about an hour he hadn't turned up anything. He figured he would at least attempt to remove some of the glass from his chest before setting out again. Remy had should have known better, the second you stop looking for something, that's when you find it. Just across from his window, sitting in her own room, Rogue sat, curled up on her bed. Remy stepped out onto his window ledge and walked ledge to ledge to Rogue's window and knocked on the glass. It startled her...

"What do think yer doin'?"

"Will you just let me in, girl? It's still cold out here, an' Ah've been lookin' fo' you." She opened her window to let him in, and was immediately annoyed.

" Why don' you have a shirt Remy?" She grabbed a baggy hoodie and tossed it at his face.

"Ah swear Ah only got the purest intentions. Ah got glass in me, anythin' rubbing against it hurts." He smiled and sat down on her bed, "So where you been Cher? Couldn't fin' you, you okay?"

"Felt like a fool, Ah didn' wanna hurt anyone any worse then they were already." Rogue pulled out a cloth, peroxide, latex gloves and tweezers. "Ah just needed to have that psychopath bled out may system in private." She approached him with the intent of returning a favor. Remy was almost eager to bandage her wrists earlier; that was a new experience. None of her teammates ever meant to hurt her feelings, but she knew everyone sub-consciously avoided getting too close to her to help with that kind of thing.

"Huh, no Cher , Ah really don' need you to do that-" eyeing down the tweezers, Remy was actually trying to avoid this. It was difficult to reach a maximum level of charm when you're having jagged glass ripped from your chest.

"Yes Remy, you do, or you leave." She knelt next to him, "Put on the hoodie, get as covered as ya can, an' Ah'll get this glass. Stuck it up ya baby." Rogue tried to be as serious as possible, while Remy's smile grew into that grin as he weighted his options. He suddenly changing his mind, now that she was so close, the pain seemed to be a fair exchange to be so near again.

"Alright baby, pull away-ugh!" Remy couldn't help but gasp as the glass and metal was being pulled from his body. Despite the sting, he continued to smile, he liked being this close again. Her hands were perfectly warm through the latex gloves. She was so gentle as she ran her fingers over him, fondling for glass, he hoped she would never be done. "An' Ah really didn' want you alone wit that fool in yo' head...ugh... Ah wanted ta stay wit you til he was gone."

"Don' call me that, or Ah'll make this worse then it has ta be, now hold still. Ah didn' mean to make you look all over fer me, Ah just wanted ta be alone." She began to pluck away at the glass shards, and she would never admit how much she was enjoying herself. His chest began to blush a red-pink color as she ran her fingers over him.

Remy took a deep breath, he couldn't control his blush, but he considered himself a master at controlling his composure. "Yeah, well no one blames you...ugh...they blame me...ugh, most a'all Nightcrawler. He's just gotta get used to the idea...ugh!.. o'us."

"What do you mean they blame you? What for?" She dabbed blood softly as she spoke to him, "An' what do ya mean 'idea of us'?"

"He was angry Ah didn' stop you from touchin' that scout an' gettin' him in yo' head...ugh!... but Ah think he generally hates me, de idea o' me, an' definitely de idea o'me datin' yo-oo ye yi! Cher, tha' one really hurt! Are you doin' dat on purpose?!"

"That was a longer piece o'metal. An' we are not 'dating', Remy. Ah cannot 'date', 'member?"

"C'mon...ugh.. Cher, what'd you call dis den?"

"Painful, n' kinda gross." Rogue traced her fingers delicately across his stomach and chest, she had never made anyone get goose bumps before. Rarely she saw them up close, unless they were her own. She was trying not to leer, she didn't want expose her obvious fascination with his body, but he was hopefully in too much pain to notice. Hopefully. "Ah'm sorry 'bout Kurt, but he never did get the best first, or second, or third, or fourth impression o'you."

"Sixth impression." Remy sighed "Ah know, ah know, he's jus'...ugh...pressin' some...ugh!...some real buttons."

"There, your all done."

"What? Already?" Remy smiled "What'd you say ta you an' me findin' somewhere more secluded an' get slightly more acquainted."

Rogue laughed, "And do what exactly?"

"See if we can fin' a loop-hole in dis' whole 'no datin' business."

"There ain't Remy. But Ah did wanna talk ta you 'bout...you know...um, that...that kiss..."

"Oh...? That...well Ah didn' know how many chances Ah'd ever get to kiss you, so Ah kinda went fo' it, but... " Remy massaged the back of his neck with his gloved hand, and looked down at the ground. He had an almost uncharacteristically bashful smirk. "Yeah, Ah thought it might'a been a lil' too much at once...Ah mean...well, Ah thought you knew Ah was French..."

" French? Ah knew- What? Oh! No, no, that-that part was...great" Rogue felt her cheeks grow hot."...but that's not what Ah'm talking about. Its somethin' else Ah really don't know how ta describe. It's like, sketches in my head, outlines o'people. Its you... Ah think."

"You've had a long few days, Cher. You don' need ta be troubling yo'self wit anytin' else." Remy's felt as though the inside of his chest froze. "Oh, no." He thought.

Rogue watched in her head, as a slow, mute slide show faded in and out of her mind's eye. Some sort of drama unfolded, the silence was replaced with a steady heart beat. It was Remy. At least she thinks its Remy, holding a girl, or a woman maybe. They're happy. A friend? More than a friend. Are they in love? Two families, a war, a plan; steadily the heart beat began to pick up speed. A barrage of silent screaming, hatred... a different kind of hatred than the kind she had absorbed from the Humanity Soldier earlier... this was more personal, deeply instilled from birth. What on Earth was she looking at? Her mind began piecing it together but she didn't have enough information.

"Remy...this has to be you. It feels...so tense." Rogue 's heart steadily began to beat even faster.

"No, no, no." The word pounded into Remy's mind over and over, but he couldn't think of nothing to say that would stop this.

Rogue began to breathe heavily, a panic attack slowly crept through her stomach, scaling her spine, ready to pierce her heart. She put her hands to her neck, the knot in her throat was almost painful. The heart beat was now a deafening pound in her ears, a war drum. Outlines of people, two of them, a fight, one of them was Remy for sure. Their drawn weapons should have made the loudest of shatters as they attacked each other, but there was only the drum. The girl or woman, the friend or lover, silently screamed somewhere above-the drum stopped, a heart stopped, blood began to pool.

"IT WASN'T MY FAULT!" Rogue screamed utterly clueless as to why. But it had to be said-for some reason. "Voulez-vous que cela cesse, ou non, Neg? Cela mettra fin à la mort!" Rogue spoke unfamiliar words, in a foreign language, but to Remy it was as familiar as his own face.

"Cher, stop! C'mon, girl look at me!" Remy could hear himself getting desperate. He was trying to find the words to bring her back, words to stop her from making the connections. Anything to stop those wheels and cogs from turning and producing the horrible conclusion. Familiar panic gripped her eyes, his panic, he would know it anywhere- even on another persons face. The whites of her eyes began to blacken, the beautiful deep green of her eyes clouded into an intense garnet. "No, no, no! She SEES it! She knows! Do somethin' Remy Lebeau! Do somethin' now!" Remy screamed inside his head.

Tears welled in her eyes, her hands trembled. "They might kill her cause o'me. Que vais-je faire?!" She looked down at her hands and saw blood that only she could see. "What...what have Ah done...?"

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE!" Remy grabbed her and shook her. It was all so incredibly surreal, he was trying to clam and comfort an imprint of himself to comfort the girl who held the impression. Could you even make a difference? Rogue was a living breathing body, but that imprint was just that. A memory, a scene that was frozen in time, unchanging, a taste of his own personal hell.

"YES AH DID! I TOOK EVERYTHIN' THAT MATTERED FROM HER! AND RAN! Lâche! Lâche! Lâche!-" Rogue's eyes were wild, she was lost in a fit of his self loathing hysteria. Remy took a deep breath and slapped her across the face, hard. In a literal blink! She was suddenly herself again.

"What in tha'hell do you think yer doin'?!" Rogue yelled, and landed a healthy punch to his face that sent him off her bed and to the floor. Her eyes were her own, her voice was her own, Remy needed to think quickly.

"AH! Damnit, girl! Mah face!" Once Remy hit the floor he needed to shake it off as fast as he was able, and started to put together words. "Y-yo' began ta transition again! You wouldn' let go o'that crazed mind. Ah thought yo was gonna hurt yo'self. An' even though yo' may feel different 'bout me; de last thin' Ah'd ever wanna do is hurt you Cher-"

"Remy! Ah...Ah." Her voice became soft, her anger disappeared. "Ah know. You didn't have a choice. Ah'm so sorry. What...what did Ah say?" Rogue hung her head, then looked at him with sad eyes. She looked ashamed.

"It wasn't anythin' you gotta be thinkin' about Cher." Remy mulled over the phrase 'You didn't have a choice' was she repeating him? Or was it a coincidence?

"Ah su'pose your right." Rogue sounded so defeated. "Ah'm so sorry ta put you in the middle o'this, Remy. I didn't mean ta hurt you. Ah just feel so...guilty." Her eyes began to tear, she covered her mouth with her gloved hand; It felt like the only way to keep the tears from falling, if she had said only one word they would stream down her face.

"Yo' guilt or mine, Cher?" Remy thought grimly, repulsed by himself. Remy sat back onto the bed, and softly grabbed Rogue by the wrist and pulled her toward him. He sat her down between his legs, held her tightly, and gently rocked her. And once again she would fall asleep safely in his arms, and once again he was the cause- and the solution to her anguish.

"Guess there ain't no such t'ing as a fresh start, eh Cher?" He whispered to Rogue now sleeping in his arms, Remy however, wouldn't follow like last time. He never slept that night, instead he waited for the pale gray light to slowly brighten the east sky through Rogue's widow.

* * *

_oo ye yi!-_ **Cajun slang, Ouch!**

_"Voulez-vous que cela cesse, ou non, Neg? Cela mettra fin à la mort!"-_

**"Do you want this to stop, or not, Neg? This will end the killing!"**

_"Que vais-je faire__?!"- _**"What am I going to do?!"**

_Neg- _**Term of endearment for a Cajun male.**

_lâche- __**Coward**_


	13. Toujours en attente pour cette boisson!

The cemetery was warm and windy, the funeral had just finished last rites in front of an open tomb, family and friends hugged and chatted before dispersing. A young man stood out of sight from the crowd, his attendance would have caused a serious uproar. To say he wasn't welcome was an understatement. He was there as a favor for a friend, one of the best he ever had. Thought he felt poorly dressed, in his torn jeans and grass stained 'Danger Dog' T-shirt, he was standing in front of his family's worst enemy and his best friend. Her name is Bella Donna Boudreaux, lovely in her expensive black baby-doll dress, matching shoes, and proper black lace sweater. She pulled bobby pins from her curly, bright gold hair, and removed the black veil from her eyes, so she could properly yell at her friend. He was being less than open-minded over her carefully laid out suggestion. A suggestion that may have been either, a stroke of genius, or the stupidest thing Remy ever heard come out of another human being's mouth.

" Marry you?! Bella, yo' crazy! Ah'm only seventeen, n'it won' change nothin'!" Remy couldn't believe his ears. Bella was frantic over the phone to speak with him, and naturally he came running to her side, but he was really trying his best not to call her a complete idiot. "Thieves n' Assassin's don't mix!"

"It never been done b'fore! Dis is extenuatin' circumstances, Remy, we desperate. Ah'm done losin' people! Yo' pretty Neg, but yo' ain't dumb! How much longer til's one o'us?"

"Bella, Cher, yo' jus' come from a funeral. Yo' upset, Ah be de same way if'n ah lost mah cousin-"

"SIX! Ah've been ta six funerals reguardin' cousins Remy! Six cousins, eight uncles, fo' aunts, a set o' god parents, n'a governess ah've known as long as you! N' ah lost track o'all de friends dat been called up home on account o'dis stupid feud! Ah'm jus' livin' between funerals until mah own!"

"Hush yo' mouth girl, tha' ain't gonna happen! We always keep each other safe-"

"Now yo' talkin' like some couyon fool Remy LeBeau! We gettin' older, our Daddies gonna keep us in de business, an' dat's gonna keep us in dis feud! Is only a matter o'time til one'a us pay fo' sins belongin' ta our fathers."

"She got a good point, son." Remy spun around and completely froze. Jean-Luc LeBeau, Remy's Father, there he stood, strangely calm. Caught consorting with the enemy, what was next? The fact he wasn't angry made Remy very nervous."N' dats not wha' Ah wan' fo' you, Remy. Yo' children shouldn' have ta pay fo' nothin' yo' Fathers do." He was smiling.

"Oh, god why was he smiling?!" Remy thought.

Remy should have known, his Father was one of the few people capable of sneaking up on him, but he certainly didn't sound like his Father. The last time his Father caught him with Bella, he was eleven years old. They had been swimming together, Jean-Luc pulled Remy out of the river by his hair, screaming at him the entire way home. He even made Remy walk barefoot through the thorn brush path for three miles. When they got home Father wanted to be the one to scrub the deep cuts with alcohol he said "You remember dis pain Remy, s'bad, non? But yo' still be breathin' after! A Boudreaux get you, you get worse, den yo' get dead!"

"P-poppa we was jus' swimmin'...we friends." Remy choked, tears pouring from his eyes, he let out small sharp cries each time the scrub brush bristles jabbed into a cut allowing more of the burning alcohol to flow even deeper into his feet and calves.

"Friends?! FRIENDS!?" Jean-Luc threw the brush to the ground, and grabbed his son's face. "You listen ta me, boy! Boudreaux don' know how ta be 'friends' wit' de likes o'us! Ah know yo' wanna t'ink so! Ya have fun, she cute, n' she talk sweet, but once she got yo' trust... dat's how yo' end up like yo' t'aunty Emmy." Remy's aunt Emily LeBeau had fallen in love with a Boudreaux. She ended up a bloody partially dismembered mass on the lawn in front of the LeBeau family mansion. The ceremony was a closed casket, and a terrible lesson. But apparently a lesson not as memorable as Jean-Luc had expected it to be. Because here they were, nearly six years later and Jean-Luc was singing a completely different tune...

"S'fine, son. Remy? Breath boy!" Jean-Luc landed a healthy slap squarely into his son's back to bring him back to the matter at hand. Remy blinked and tried to play out any possible scenario that could lead to all of them walking away unharmed. "G'evenin' Miss Boudreaux. Yo' lookin' quite the vision, despite dis...unfortunate occasion, Ah'm terribly sorry, dear."

"Good evenin', Monsieur LeBeau, n' thank you, mah family is all quite weary o'unfortunate occasions." Bella was surprisingly calm, was this a set up? And if so, then for who?

"As are we, Mon Cher. Ain't we, Remy?" What was going on here? Were they actually making small talk? Was this some sort of ridiculous dream?

"All de reason ta be gettin' on, Father, En d'oeuille n'all. H-how 'bout we all just leave? S'a funeral after all-" Remy just wanted to leave before anyone noticed a couple of Thieves at an Assassins' funeral.

"Not so fast, Remy Lebeau. G'evenin' Jean-Luc." Marius Boudreaux, Bella's Father, stood next to his daughter, an arm around her shoulders. Remy's Father gripped his son's shoulder tightly to keep him from running, even though his he knew his son would never run out on his Father, he couldn't risk his son getting 'cold feet' this was far too important. Remy held his breath, and wondered if they would respect his wish to be buried in his Danger Dog T-shirt.

"Hm, 'evenin' Marius." Remy could see his Father was really trying his best to avoid his knee-jerk reaction to pull a gun. "Yo' have quite the young lady here Marius, Ah admire her bravery." Was that a real compliment?

"Much obliged, Bella Donna is de light of our family." Marius smiled. Remy couldn't hold in his questions any more.

"Not ta be rude, but wha's goin' on?" Remy didn't want to ask why no one was killing each other, but why wasn't anyone killing each other?

"We here ta talk 'bout the future Remy. N' how we all wan' ta be part o'it, an' you children deserve a better one." Monsieur Boudreaux smiled warmly at his daughter.

"Tha's one t'ing we both agree on, son. N' we t'ink Bella Donna n' you jonin' the families will give you children dat future." Jean-Luc squeezed his son's shoulder reassuringly, still refusing to let go. Remy looked him in the face, searching his Father's eyes, and body language, but there was no trap, no weapon, no signal to attack, was his Father really trying to give peace a chance? What kind of strange dream was this?

"So both o'you...wan' us ta do dis?" Remy needed a drink, a strong, strong drink.

"People in dis world we care 'bout, Remy Lebeau. Mah son, mah 'lil girl, wit'out family, survival ain't all too attractive."

"Cut n'dry, son. An' wit de Assassins n' Thieves guilds ta'gether, mo'money, mo'man power, an' less killin' o' our families."

Remy and Bella were termed as the, so-called, "prince and princess" of New Orleans' organized crime families. The families were separated into two guilds, the Thieves guild, Lebeau, and the Assassins guild, Boudreaux. Remy was in line to take over the Thieves guild for his father, Bella was right behind her older brother, Julien Boudreaux, for the Assassins guild. And she was scared to death, but so was Remy but for different reasons, Julien was unstable, extremely violent, there were rumors that Julien was mentally damaged at birth, and made all the worse by the bloody environment that Belle's father never sheltered him from. He wanted his son strong, and fearless, the only thing more important then protecting family was the demonetization of the Lebeau family. Remy kept his distance from Julien ever since he saw Julien cut and pin open a living opossum, exposing its organs to the damp swamp air, he was trying to keep it alive as long as possible. He giggled happily every time the opossum squealed in misery, Julien's eyes were wet with laughing tears as the small animal's exposed heart slowed down. He then went into an apoplectic fit of rage once the animal became silent, and proceeded to scream obscenities at the carcass until finally tearing the innards from the animal with his bare hands. Even though that was ten years ago it still gave Remy a terrible chill. As disturbed as Julien was, he was a very skilled fighter, but it was only a matter of time before he got himself killed. An organized crime syndicate built on top of a pile of dead family and friends, the last piece of Bella's throne was her own disturbed brother's life. What a horrific inheritance for a girl who wanted nothing more than a normal life.

"Do yo' t'ink Bella an Ah could have a moment 'lone to speak, please?"

"O'course Remy, yo' Father n' Ah should talk 'bout de details." Remy watched bewildered as his Father left him with Bella alone, to go speak with her Father, a Boudreaux, an Assassin, without stabbing him. What in god's name was happening? Remy was still waiting for his Father to yell 'Now!' or something, and start mowing down Assassins. Once Marius, and Jean-Luc were out of sight, Remy grabbed Bella by arm, and jerked her toward him.

"You-you told yo' FATHER?! Are yo' mad at me?! Tell me de truth, girl! You tryin' ta get me-US killed?!"

"How he come ta fin' out ain't important, Neg! You missin' de point! Dey approves de match n' give de blessin'!"

"But will everyone?! Like Julien?!"

"Don' you wanna be here wit' me Remy? Once all said n'done, ain't nobody can say nuthin', Remy. Ain't no one can touch us! Yo' forgettin' our Daddies are de kings o'dis city!"

"Ah'm always here fo' you Cher, but marriage? Ah t'ink yo' be readin' too much European history-"

Bella leaned forward and kissed him deeply, Remy awkwardly received, and did everything he could to not laugh. He felt almost silly kissing her, though he did love her dearly, and maybe he even loved her enough to fake a marriage. If she was right it would mean an end to a three hundred old year feud, and they would never have to worry about attending another preempted funeral again. Remy slowly pulled away and looked into her tearing eyes, he hated seeing her cry.

"Las' time we tried dat Ah hiccuped, bit yer lip, n'you punched me in'a stomach." He held her, touching his forehead to her's.

"We was also nine n'ten years old." She smiled, and held Remy tightly. "Could you force yourself to love someone?" Bella thought "It wasn't unusual for friendship to become more after a while; whose to say that they wouldn't have ended up falling in love eventually?" After a moment Bella spoke, Remy still hadn't agreed to become a groom, just yet. "Do dis wit me Remy. Joinin' a Lebeau n'a Boudreaux, a Thief n'a Assassin. Yo' say we always keep de other safe. Dis will stop de killin' Remy, den we always be safe, do dis wit' me, Neg. Marry me?" To Bella, joining the families was the only way. Even if it didn't stop the hatred it may stop the killing. It had to, Bella needed to see her brother happy and make it past twenty-five, and she wanted every birthday she had coming to her, eighteen years just wasn't enough.

"Yo' always was smarter den me, Cher." He rested his chin on her head, and watched the breeze push pass the cemetery trees. A low rumbling of thunder was close by and heading toward them. "Les' do it Bella."

"Yo' will?! Really?"

"Is'a gamble worth takin'."

"Oh Remy! Thank yo'! Yo' Daddy's got all de details, we'll see yo' t'night" Despite the soft ground, and Bella in high heels she able to pull away from him, and head back to her father's side rather quickly.

"Wait! Bella yo' mean dis happenin' t'night, as in t'night, t'night?!"

"An' wear somethin' respectable!" She called behind her, not paying all too much attention to anything else Remy was saying.

"W-wear, s-some-... t'night?" Remy was dumbfounded, he couldn't think of anything relevant to say, well, other than... "Wha... wha's wrong wit Danger Dog?"

The wind howled and thunder rumbled all around him, other than that the cemetery was silent, and eerily empty, where did everyone go? Just then Remy heard voices behind him, a young girl and boy, or were the voices in front of him? It definitely wasn't the wind, "Yeah, I know, but like Storm said 'things are different now'." The boy said.

"Hello?" Remy said trying to get the direction of where the voices were coming from. He could make out the voices just fine, but he had no idea where they were coming from. They sounded like they were coming out of the open air above him...

"Well, I definitely won't be leaving my room unlocked. I'll get her, stay here though, if she goes all Linda Blair I'll want help." The girl's voice said.

"Sure, sure." Replied the boy.

Everything around Remy became blurred and very bright...

-

Storm, and her regal walk graced the dormitory hallways where some of her students still slept, the Professor and the rest of the staff thought it best to keep them away from school. She ran into Kitty smiling, as always, she was one of the few that had stayed up the night. Who could sleep, when victory left you more charged than caffeine.

"Good morning Storm." Kitty smiled. Bobby came up jogging behind her.

"Hi Storm! Dr. McCoy is letting us have pizza for breakfast!" Bobby exclaimed.

"Good morning, Kitten, Bobby. You don't need to get ready for school today, the Professor has an announcement for everyone. Wake whom ever isn't up. He wants everyone to meet in the commons in an hour."

"Oh no, is everything okay?" Bobby asked.

"I can't handle anymore bad news." Kitty said her smile practically dropping to the floor.

"Things are different now Kitten, he wants all of us to understand what is happening. You two wake the girl's ward, I'll take care of the boy's."

"Yeah, okay...we should check on Rogue anyway, she never stopped having a tough night, I bet today isn't much better." Kitty was uneasy, hopefully the Professor could put their minds at ease, or at least he had a plan to keep them safe.

"Yeah, it was like something outta the exorcist, she was her regular gloomy self one second, then boom! She's some dude threatening to kill us." Bobby mulled over the scene in his head, Rogue saved his life last night, he wanted to make sure she was still herself.

" Yeah but I think Kurt was right, Romy should have kept her from touching that psycho! I mean she almost got shot or worse, after just going to get him. The most he could have done is help keep her safe."

"I'm pretty sure its 'Remy' and I thought he seemed pretty cool. I mean he didn't have to go along with her, and he didn't have to help us out, but I think they're kinda inta each other."

"Oh you think?" Kitty said sarcastically "I don't know if he belongs here you know? Like, sure he helped out last night, but how many times has he tried to blow us up? And he used to work with Magneto, remember? Jean thinks he's sketchy too. I'm sure there is plenty he's not telling us."

"Yeah, I know, but like Storm said 'things are different now'. Working on the same side with the bad guys, is something we've all done before. And it totally has worked out for the best before. I think it could work out." Bobby smiled, he thought he won their little argument as they came up to Rogue's door.

"Well, I definitely won't be leaving my room unlocked. I'll get her, stay here though, if she goes all Linda Blair I'll want help."

"Sure, sure."

"Rogue are you up?" Kitty was anxious to talk to Rogue, she wanted to make sure she was okay, and of course she wanted to ask her all about her spontaneous 'road trip', and she definitely wanted to know every detail about Gambit. Kitty knocked softly before phasing through the door, this she was the last thing she ever expected to see: Rogue, the happiest Kitty had ever seen her before, sleeping with her face against Gambit's bandaged chest, with a funny sort of smile on her face. A smile Kitty only saw when Rogue was able to forget the knives left by others. Usually the smile was brief, only lasting moments, but here it was- cemented onto Rogue's face, she was beautiful. Remy had only started to slowly pull out of sleep as Kitty phased through the door. Remy's dream world and the real word broke apart. His eyes snapped open to look at Kitty, though his body remained still, he was wide wake now, and Kitty nervously smiled at him, she was so happy for Rogue at that moment, she forgot how awkward this was supposed to be.

"Rem-" Kitty didn't finish saying his name, Remy cut her off by putting a finger to his lips, the universal sign to "be quiet and don't make a sound". Instead Remy extended his hand toward Kitty, and motioned to the door. Kitty excepted his hand and phased him through Rogue, delicately allowing Rogue to make contact with her bed, and Gambit to stand. Kitty held his hand as they phased through the door together. In the hall Kitty was full of questions, naturally.

"Thanks Ah didn' wan'ta wake her-"

"You spent the night with Rogue?!" Kitty's eyes flashed with excitement. Rogue's frustration with Kitty's phone calls while they were on the road together suddenly made a whole lot more sense.

"Whoa...dude, how are you not in a coma? Or dead? Was it worth it?" Bobby was a strange mix of impressed and dumbfounded.

"Yes, no, wait, tha's not- Ah mean... Ah did spend de night wit Rogue but-" Gambit was so distracted with Kitty and Bobby he didn't notice Logan coming down the hall, the words were already out of Gambit's mouth.

"What was that?" Logan was instantly furious. If he wasn't irritated enough, he had just come down off the roof after a sleepless night of checking and re-checking the property and the students.

"Ah uh...Ah gotta stop doin' dis ta mah'self..." Gambit grumbled to himself, his timing lately, had been particularly horrible concerning Rogue's perceived chastity and her extended family.

"We'll all know what yer up to after the first coma, Cajun. The second we'll be 'cause o'me. We clear?" Logan, gritted through his teeth.

"Crystal." Remy was too tried to explain himself, but apparently not too tired to push Logan's buttons. "But wha' a way ta go, Mon ami..." Remy said dreamily and smirked, Bobby snorted muffled laughter. Logan let out a low growl and popped his claws, which silenced Bobby, Remy said nothing more but there was never much that could take that smirk off Remy's face.

"Get everyone up and downstairs now. Goes double fer you Gumbo. I find you on this side of the building again, I don't care what the Professor says -your outta here. Speaking o'which, Xavier wants ta talk to you. Get movin'." Logan couldn't hide his detest for Gambit at that point, any help he was last night didn't amount to anything in the light of day.

* * *

_En d'oeuille_- to be in mouring

_Neg_- term of endearment for a Cajun male

_Cher_- term of endearment, someone you are fond of.

_Danger Dog_- awesome; appropriate wedding attire.


	14. Crêpes aurait été agréable

Remy knocked on the Professor's office door and entered. It looked exactly how he expected it to look: a large room, walls lined with leather-bound volumes of everything from genetics to law behind glass doors, a huge antique oak desk, Oriental rugs, windows that reached the ceiling to reveal a lush green view. "Nice ta be king." Remy though.

"Professor, yo' wantin' ta see me?"

"Yes, Gambit, or Remy, if I may?"

"Please."

"I understand other than a few minor altercations with Kurt, you have settled in well?"

"Well it ain't dull, Professor." Remy shuffled a deck of cards, not knowing what to do with his hands.

"Yes, well, I trust you will be joining us, and staying on with the X-men? I've had a few requests that we extend membership to you."

"S'that right? Will wonders ever cease?" Remy was surprised that there was more than one request to admit him, "S'a nice idea, but Ah'm not all dat excited on followin' another great mutant leader. An' Magneto paid a lot better den you." Remy smiled and continued to shuffle cards.

"What are your motivations Remy? Reformation, perhaps? Belonging? A home? I can promise you a place with us, a place to earn a sense of worth, if in fact, that is what you are seeking."

"Maybe it just be hard ta admit, or maybe tha' jus' be mah business." Remy smiled smugly.

The Professor smiled back, "Patience, and acceptance are among what we also offer here. I know that doesn't buy much."

Remy almost laughed, "Yo' tryin' ta say 'money don' buy everythin', Professor?"

"Mentors tend to say things like that, Monsieur LeBeau, but yes."

"Alright, les' say yes, fo' now. But don' be 'spect me ta be marchin' n' salutin' like dat Scott o'yours."

"Thank goodness your enrollment is not contingent of such things, Remy." The Professor smiled warmly.

"Wha' the-!" Remy dropped his deck of cards all over the floor, as he was startled by the brunette ponytail raising from the floor just by his feet.

"Good morning, Kitty."

"Hi Professor! Oh, hi Remy! Sorry to interrupt, but we were all sick of pizza and Mamara said she could cook pancakes 'way faster than the stove', and long story short she was only sorta right, but she and Bobby are really, really sorry and we really, really need help in the kitchen!"

"Why is Bobby sorry?"

"Uh, he tried to...um, 'fix it', and well fire and ice...you know. Anyway, help!"

"As you said Remy, it's never dull." and extended his hand. "Welcome to the X-men."

Remy accepted, a look of uncertainty cross his face, " Uh, thanks... Hope Ah survive de experience."

-

Remy watched everyone congregate into the commons area, surrounding their mentor. Remy couldn't say the he shared their adoration, but he understood it. Maybe if being an X-man worked out, it would be a different story, but until then, all he could muster was a 'thanks', and a promise of temporary dedication, for his own reasons, until he was sure he knew what he wanted for his future, and what the X-men expected out him. After a few minutes everyone in the room, Rogue entered and made eye contact with Remy. She was embarrassed, his lip was pretty obviously split and scabbed over. Before Rogue could go over to him, the room became silent and the Professor began to speak.

"Good morning everyone, the first thing I want to say, is that I am immensely proud of all of you. You were faced with inconceivable danger, for the most ludicrous of reasons: Being born differently. You met it head on and over came, peacefully and victoriously, there would be much to celebrate if we had the luxury of time, but our fight has only just started. The X-men are needed, and we are more necessary than I had ever originally conceived. What you may have already suspected is true, the government has abandoned us. And as we have feared, fellow innocent mutants have been kidnapped and held without reason, those mutants will be our next priority. It is my belief that you are safer with the X-men, than you would be outside of the school, however, that will be a decision made within yourselves, and with your families and guardians. Those of you that are illegally adults, I will not ask for anyone else's permission other than your own."

Some of the students began to cry, others couldn't look anyone in the eye, and others were prepared to fight. The students that had families and guardians were instructed to notify them immediately, and get their permission to stay on with the X-men, or to come home immediately. Once all were packed and gone the remaining students that stood were...

All senior members: Storm, Beast, Logan,Cyclops, Jean, and of course the Professor

Members and under class men: Iceman, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, Rogue, Cannonball, Forge, and their newest member, Gambit.

"Is this everyone? Man...We're screwed." Bobby shook his head. He had begged is Dad to stay on at the mansion. Mom was out of the picture, Bobby and only had each other, and he was having a difficult time being a single parent of a woefully 'gifted' child.

Gambit put his hand on Bobby's shoulder. "So den we get others." After last night, and his little conference with the Professor, he was determined to make an at least, half hearted go of being an X-man, he then looked to Cyclops. "Dat's are next move, right?"

"Right, and we've already got good news. Thanks to the professor and Cerebro, we were able to get the general locations of held mutants, and who they are: A mutant named Sunfire, an Elisabeth Babcock, two more female mutants the only names we could retrieve from the psyches was 'Tommy' and 'Scale face', and some of you may remember Pyro,"

"Huh, figures..." Gambit scoffed under his breath, he never liked Pyro, John rather, Gambit wrote him off as unprofessional and a sociopath. They occasionally crossed each other, and Gambit refused to work with him when they worked under Magneto, John was sloppy and unpredictable; interested more with causing destruction and fear, then completing an assignment.

"And a mutant named Colossus."

"Peter?!" Remy interjected.

"Friend o'yours?" Logan sneered.

"Yo'could say dat. He got a raw deal when we was wit' Magneto. Ah choose dat job, but Peter was damn near blackmailed inta workin' wit' us. We looked out fo' each other sometimes, he didn' belong. Ah wanna be part o'de team dat busts him out, Ah owe him."

"You'll get your chance." Logan said.

"Is your lip split?" Scott asked.

"Is'a long story." Gambit looked over at Rogue and smiled at her. She looked down at the ground, trying to be inconspicuous.

"Our only issue is pin-pointing an exact location, so it may take a while." Scott was optimistic, but they had no idea where to look exactly.

"We don't have much time." Logan pointed out.

"Only clue- they seem to be using a unique complex, one that must have several lower sub-basements and that they must be siphoning a large amount of electricity or power to specifically imprison drastically different, but equally powerful mutants. The strangest thing was the arrangement of all these mutants, it's as if they were...layered on top of each other." Cyclops pulled up the virtual diagram of the mutant presences. It was an odd structure, layers twisting every which way. Not even Beast had a clue what this was, but to someone it was very, very familiar. Sam timidly raised his hand.

"Excuse me, but is there a way ta tell if'n there's a water source near by?" Sam made Gambit smile, he was the total opposite of himself, Sam was everything he never had the chance to be, he couldn't help but like the boy.

"The largest source of electricity in this area is a hydro-electric dam, we suspected that's one of the power sources where they would've been getting their juice. Got an idea, Sam?" Cyclops was hopeful, Cannonball never spoke up unless he was totally sure.

"Ah reckon, is'a mine. Nothin' else that big n' underground could be lookin' like that."

"Are you sure, Sam?"

"Hand ta God, Ah was born inna mine town, whole family was. Ain't nothin' twists like that 'cept a mine shaft n' man made diggin' caverns." Sam pointed out.

"Borax!" Beast exclaimed.

"Borax?" Cyclops asked.

"Ya'all gotta Borax mines out here?" Sam never thought his knowledge of mining work would ever come in handy when he left home, and set off to become a big time super hero. His Momma would have been proud.

"An abandoned one, yes, after a few cave-ins it was deemed more costly than what was worth digging for." Beast remembered the last cave-in ten years ago had killed a good forty men. It was a national tragedy that forced a completely functional mine to shut down for good. It, however, wasn't squatter-proof. Someone had moved in, and was using it to play prison with a bunch of mutants.

"No good for diggin', plenty good ta hole up in." Logan added.

"Good enough for me, when do we leave?" Bobby was ready to save some mutants.

"The Black bird in forty minutes people, suit up!"


	15. Que faire si vous ne savez pas nager?

"Please Dad? I gotta stay. I'll be okay-" Bobby begged, this phone conversation was getting way too serious. Drake men never tend to get too emotional.

"That's a tall order Bob. I hate you so far from home, with all this crap going on out there." would never let his son know that he had been up for several nights watching the news, and listening to independent radio about the "mutant riots" breaking out all over the country.

"Better here with an army, then on our own Dad." If anything happened to his Dad because of 'Iceman' Bobby would lose his mind. Despite 's unwillingness to acknowledge the gravity of his son's abilities, Bobby's Dad was everything to him. If being brutally honest and keeping his distance from his Dad was the only way Bobby could protect him, than he had to find the strength to do it.

"Damn it Bobby! Your not some damn soldier, and you kids aren't any kind of army!" Fear at that moment took over Mr. Drake," No, no I want you back home, son. On the double." He was the Father and that was his only son, and no one was going to take Bobby away from him, not some special mutant task force, not some mutant-hating mob, and certainly not some rich hot-shot teenage mutant recruiter like Xavier.

"Dad. I'm made of ice, remember?"

"Bob, don't you take that tone with me. You taking the bus or the train home?"

"I can use any kind of moisture in the air to create ice hard enough to go through a man's chest, or freeze someone to death in moments, or make walls bigger than the statue of Liberty."

"Robert I'll come and drag you outta that school myself, if I have to!"

"Last night they came after us Dad. All us 'kids', and we stopped them, they shot me in the chest, and I'm fine, because I'm a mutant that can turn into ice. And any bit of bullet that was in me, was pulled outta me by a girl who can't be touched by any weapon, she can pass though walls, cars, bodies, anything. All you got in the house is a gun."

"Robert! That's enough! You've never lied to me before, and I know full well you're...you're a little different then most-"

"I can turn into ice, Dad! You always make it sound like I got a overbite, or bad acne, or something! I'm a mutant! And not the kind with six toes, the kind that the news has warned you about! They are HUNTING mutants like me! When are you gonna face it!?" It's like he couldn't stop the words from coming out of his mouth, even over the phone had a demanding sense of authority, Bobby began to sweat, because his Dad wasn't screaming at him. Bobby felt as though his Dad was capable of reaching through the phone to beat him within an inch of his life for contradicting him and talking back. There was a long moment of silence over the phone, Bobby had never spoken to his father that way. His newly discovered courage was losing steam with every second that Mr. Drake took not responding. Bobby began to regret every word he just said, and started to crumble. "Dad, I'm sorry-"

"Robert, you said your peace, now you shut your mouth, and remember I'm your father. Put Xavier on the phone."

"Su-sure Dad. One sec."

"Bobby?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, son."

"Oh...yeah, I-I love you too."

After Mr. Drake hung up the phone he would cry for the second time in his adult life, but after speaking with the Professor, and grudgingly agreed with him; He had fought coworkers, and even a neighbor or two on the 'mutant issue', all for the sake of his only son. There was no way he could keep his son safe all by himself, one father against the world. That's a fight he would willingly jump into for Bobby, but quickly lose. That would have been pointless, so he left it in the hands of the Professor Charles Xavier. "Keep my boy safe." Was the last thing Mr. Drake said to the Professor after he gave his consent for Bobby to be Iceman.

"Okay people!" Cyclops began barking out assignments. Bobby snapped back to reality and tried to pay attention to the mission at hand, and tried to not think about his father. He was eager to hear his marching orders, and focus on something else-anything else!

"The Professor, Storm, and Jean will being staying above ground, they'll be reinforcing the mines for us, and keeping us in contact. Were entering the mine from two openings: the entrance of the mine's elevator, it's currently a dead-end; that was the sight of the cave-in Sam and Kitty, you two gotta get through that, you're our exit strategy. We need you to get that old elevator moving."

"Just me and Sam?" Kitty asked. Why was she always the one sent into the dark rocky depths of some old dusty cavern where people have died? At least she'll have the company of a human firefly.

"It'll be fine Kitty, Ah been runnin' a mine shaft since Ah was twelve, just git me through that rock, an' Ah'll run all ya'll an express line ta the surface one way or 'nother."

"Good to hear, Sam. We'll be counting on you. They're holding mutants at the three top of the five levels, Nightcrawler, and Bobby you're going low, we need Iceman to reinforced the tunnel walls and as an offensive if you run into anything you can't hide from. Kurt we need you to start running detainees out, and to the surface, be ready to deal with the hurt or unconscious. And that's all you'll be doing, avoid any and all conflict."

"What if I'm not able to get them to the surface?" Kurt wouldn't know til he got down there, but hopefully Cyclops was as good at delegating positions, as he was a contingency planner.

"Port them to Sam and Kitty, or if you have to, to us, Logan, Gambit and me. We'll be starting directly above you. That's where they'll be holding mutants packing the most power. Which means we'll be dealing with the highest levels of security and it's going to call for a good amount of fire power, and a good deal of stealth."

"Ah'm flattered." Gambit said, trademark smirk in place.

"Gambit, you wanted your shot at busting out Colossus, here it is. If he's there, this is where he'll be."

"Lookin' forward ta it."

"What exactly am I making 'go boom', Cyke?" Forge was wondering why C-4 was on the shopping list Cyclops gave him.

"That's our finale. Forge we need you and that C-4 at the bottom of the stack with Beast and Rogue. All that level is, is laboratories and nothing that needs to exist anymore, burn it and bury it."

"Yo' ain't givin' dem much o'an exit Cyclops. They gon' be in deep." Gambit was concerned. He wasn't crazy about the idea of Rogue being positioned on the lowest level of mutant hell with enough explosives to give a multi-level mine a sunroof.

"They'll also be done first, low security, no retrieval, save for a lab tech, maybe two. Rogue, if you run into them, take whatever information you can get off them. We need to know what they know, and your our most reliable form of data retrieval that we got. Beast and Forge you'll be ripping off information the old fashion way."

"Oh, I do enjoy a good hacking!" It was all a game to Forge, a mind-set seldom reprimanded because he was so good at what he did. After all, people of exceptionally high intellect often suffered the burden of weak social skills, Forge was a textbook definition of the phenomenon. It'd be sad if it wasn't so funny. It made Beast smile, anyway.

"We land in five, good luck out there." Cyclops never considered fear for a moment, fear was a four letter word that poisoned operation. Things like fear and doubt may as well have been detention and underoos. Officially outgrown, and living in worn photos.

Logan was impressed. Scott had the bull by the horns, and was acting like a real leader. Who would have thunk it? Or that he was going to be so good at it? Maybe after all was said, and done he could actually go on a vacation now that they lost half the student body, and with Scott and Jean at the helm maybe it was possible for Logan to play loner once again.

At the other end of the plane, Gambit sat down next to Rogue. "Like de uniform?"

"Not bad. So its official." Rogue smiled, even though it was a combination of Remy's own old uniform, and a X-man uniform, that somehow seemed more appropriate for him. It was kind of a pain to break in a completely new uniform anyway, he wanted to be comfortable his first time out as an X-man.

"Got me a house key n' taught me de secret hand shake, its official, Cher."

"How's it feel? Ah mean compared ta the other side."

"Won' know til it's over. Not bad, jus' different. Wha' 'bout you Cher? You ready?"

"Not thinkin' 'bout it helps. Jus' like divin' inta cold water, before ya jump is the scariest part, you jus' have ta dive in. Once yer in the thick'a it, ya get used it, than it ain't as hard ta focus as you'd thought it was gonna be. Ya know?"

"Not really, now all Ah can t'ink 'bout s'gonin' swimmin' wit you." Remy smiled, it was meant as more of an invitation then a joke.

Rogue almost smiled, "C'mon', Remy don't ...Let's just get though this, first. Okay?"

"Now ya see? Dat sounded like it could'a been a 'yes' ta me..."

"Maybe we'll all be entitled ta a'lil relaxation after this, after we pick up yer friend, Peter? Is it?" Rogue was quick to change the subject.

"Yeah, he's a good guy. S'funny, but all de guy wan'ed was ta farm n'feed his family. Simplest goals in de world, n' de simplest o'all motivations got him in a whole mess o'trouble mo'tangled den anythin' most'll see."

"There ain't nothin' 'simple' about family, sugah. Well...mah family isn't anyway, ever since mah powers showed up its never been easy, n' their motivations have always been...well, its difficult to explain, but it's always been complicated." Rogue said sadly.

"No need ta explain, yo' preachin' ta a'expert, Cher. S'prise, even mahself on wha' Ah was willin' ta do fo' family." Remy sighed, "Real s'prised."

"Well, next time you wanna know, just ask me. Ah'm definitely the expert on what _you_ do when yer family's in trouble." The sides of Rogue's lips curled, a little smile was all Remy needed to see, to make an indiscretion he'd otherwise be ashamed of, pretty damn funny.

"Yeah, well, 'ha-ha' Cher." Remy said as he dropped his head, slightly attempting to hide a very candid smile with a hint of embarrassment. Rogue noticed when he smiled wide, he would habitually close his eyes; When Remy dropped every façade that he instinctually put up to guard himself from the world, when there were no planned pick up lines, no rehearsed charm, not even that well fashioned smirk, when he was just himself, and nothing else, like now; she found him to be the most irresistible.

"Remy, about that swim?"

"Yeah Cher?"

"Get ready everyone! Stay together! Keep contact!" Cyclops announced. So it had started, just hold your nose and dive.

"Good luck, Remy." Rogue said, as she got up to go join Forge and Beast.

"You too, Cher." Remy sighed now alone and annoyed. Inside his head he swore in frustration. Cyclops, or someone would pay for that interruption.


	16. Avez-vous peur du noir?

The long stone corridors were claustrophobically narrow. Cyclops was absolutely correct to assign Storm as above ground defense, she wouldn't have lasted very long. All of the stone mine corridors were nearly solid black in darkness. To take a step anywhere meant trusting that the pitch black would open up into more empty space, and not just be a stone wall. Cyclops watched his footing, he tried to stay in the exact middle of hall, getting too close to the wall could result in falling into another corridor, or even worse, down a mine shaft that went down an undermined distance to the center of the Earth. Unlike a mine, however, a particular corridor had been scrubbed sterile, and was lit up like a damn Christmas tree so the surveillance cameras could catch everything; and whatever the cameras didn't catch, the additional security features would.

"Motion detectors are hangin' pretty heavy 'round here, Cyclops." Logan observed.

"You sure? I don't see it." Cyclops knew that part of being a good leader was to step back, and to allow his teammates to display their strengths.

"I smell it." Logan took a deep smell, and broke down each individual oder, layer by layer, natural to man made: Borax, Limestone, Metal alloy, a pyroeletric absorbing glass, and a type of hard plastic-Bingo. An unavoidable mix present in almost every combination of security system that used motion sensors. While Logan followed his nose, Gambit was using his eyes.

"Ah see it...he right, Cyke." Gambit surveyed the corridor, it was instinctual for him to hone in on the weak spot of anything keeping him from what he wanted. From a door's lock to a bra's clasp; conquering barriers and acquiring anything 'off limits' was more addicting to him then drugs to a detoxing addict.

"Think you can make it to the finish line, Gumbo?" Logan figured now might be a good time to risk letting the Cajun off the leash, and see if he'd behave himself and play X-man.

"In'a coma." Gambit said confidently.

"Get movin' then."

"Firs' t'ings firs'... Don' go away...Ah'll be right back." Gambit side stepped into one of the many ink black bottomless mine shafts that were rigged with old hand-jerk pulley systems, used back when the mine was operational. Before Logan or Scott could grab the back of his coat he fluidly dropped into the shaft, enveloped into the velvet blackness, mister 'master thief' was slipperier than they thought he'd be.

"Get back here!" Logan found himself grumbling into a cold abyss, and absent one Cajun.

"Great...Gambit?" Cyclops whispered into the solid blackness, the only thing he could make out was the rope hanging from the old pulley. He peered down into the pit, and swore he could see the faintest of glows down below. "Gambit?! Answer me-whoa!" Scott barely avoided getting hit in the face by a long mop of thick rope.

"Pull me up!" Gambit called to them. Logan barely heard him, he must have been at least a story and a half down. Logan and Scott pulled steadily on the rope, and there was Gambit, one foot balanced into a looped noose, holding the rope with one hand, acting as if he were riding a regular elevator, he simply stepped onto his floor, and walked passed Cyclops and Logan, not saying a word. Logan grabbed Gambit's arm.

"Did ya need ta take a piss or somethin' bub? What was that disappearing act all 'bout?" Splitting up and taking off without a word could send a mission into a downward spiral. Gambit had no reaction to Logan, he was in work mode.

"Ol' trick, wait fo' it." No sooner had Gambit finished his sentence, there was the slightest of rumbles under their feet, you would have almost mistook it for your own stomach growling if Gambit hadn't preempted you.

"What'd you-" Logan watched the blaring bright hall flicker and then go out.

"C'mon, it won't last." Gambit knew that this make-shift mad scientist 'hide-out' was thrown together in a hurry, hence unstable connections, good chance a little shake- up underneath the setup would knock something loose.

"We gotta work on our communication, Gumbo." Logan growled.

They walked through the flickering hall, each make shift cell customized to contain their respective detainee. The first 'cell' was a two feet high hole several long sharp spikes hung in front and above the crouching disheveled mass chained to the stone wall. To Cyclops' surprise, the crumpled mass was conscious and extremely pissed off.

"Let...me...go!" She hissed, the girl couldn't have been more than eighteen, wearing a red bra with a tight, studded leather 'Sex Pistols' vest, and tight black jeans torn to pieces, lovely trails of tattoos flowed up her arms and onto the sides of her face.

"Scale face? I'm Cyclops. Where here to get you out of-"

"Yeah...nice ta f***ing meet you! Hurry up!"

"Charming." Cyclops thought. "Close your eyes." He warned, as he condensed a thin optic blast to shatter her restraints.

"Your lose-"

"Yeah just sit there a**-h***! Pull me outta here! I've been like this for days!" Cyclops delicately pulled her toward him, the cramped space was dreadful, she had open sores around her neck, and wrists, and there was barbed razor wire wrapped around her bare waist and chest. Though he didn't see how they could reach, it looked like the hanging spikes must have cut open the shaved side of her head, she was bleed from several spots. She groaned in pain as she straightened her back, she wobbled a bit before standing.

"You! Wit the blades! Cut this offa me!" It was like Scale face was almost unphased by her situation and the pain; the drive to escape and survive was stronger. She pulled Logan over to cut the barbed wire from her body.

"Why would they do this to you?" Cyclops was repulsed, and impressed, she was definitely a fighter.

"They didn't wan' me growin'. Now cut this s*** off me! It stings like a m***** f*****!" Scale face's mutation was truly remarkable, she had the ability to grow into an immense reptile, the Morlock children would beg to have the her babysit them, because then they would 'get to ride a dinosaur.' Being around children was the only time she didn't feel like ripping someone's head off. Now all she wanted to do was get back to those kids, get Tommy, get home, get drunk, and maybe get a tetanus shot. In that order.

"Suck it in kid." In a quick swipe Logan sniped the barbed wire. Scale face tore the wire from her body, and Scott was in more pain just watching her then, she seemed to be. "We'll stitch you up once we get ya out." Logan reassured her.

"Only thing I want is ta get Tommy, an' get the f*** out!"

"Where is she?" Scott asked trying to stay focused.

"Down here." Scale face knelt down to a cut in the rock.

"Where?" Scott asked.

"Down here, numb nuts! Look!" In a thin cut in the wall, Scale face used her nails to pry what looked like a big sheet of paper from the stone wall. "Tommy! Wake up ya dumb skank, we're getting out!" Scale face propped the two-dimensional Tommy into a sitting position. It was like propping up a card board cut-out of a person. "Wake up, n' fill out, bitch!" Scale face demanded.

"Scales..Where are we?" Tommy responded in a total daze, but actually obeyed. Incredibly Tommy's body filled out into a three-dimensional person, then she doubled over and threw up on Logan's foot.

"What did those sick f**** give you?! Hey, geezer!" Scale face barked at Logan through bloody teeth. "Pick her up! They pumped her full a'all kinds of s***!" She was furious, and watched Logan closely as he picked up Tommy. "Touch her weird, and I break yer face." Scale face warned sneering at Logan. Her anger and rudeness made complete sense to Logan, so much so, he barely noticed it.

"Are there others?" Cyclops asked.

"I don't give a s*** about 'others'! Just get us out! Now!" Scale face wasn't interested in participating in anything that wasn't leaving.

"C'mon girl, you tell us where de other mutants are, or we leave you n'her here!" Gambit needed to play hard ball, he wanted to find Colossus.

"The f*** you would! Aren't you guys the heros or some s***? You're here to save us, so f****** save us!" Scale face hated Gambit immediately, then again she hated everyone immediately.

"You wanna play wit me 'lil girl? Fine. Wolverine, put her down. Dey can fin' a way out dem'selves." Gambit said it with such certainty, he almost believed himself.

"Chin up, kid." Logan caught on immediately, and put Tommy into Scale face's arms.

"He's right, we don't have time for this. Lets move out guys." Cyclops gave the 'order' and began to walk toward one of the many dark halls.

"You f****** c***-s******! Fine!" Scale face could feel herself losing blood, and she was desperately looking for the strength to hold Tommy up. "I always heard voices through there!" She nodded toward a slab of stone that looked like a dead-end.

"Is'a door in de wall, huh?" Gambit felt up the wall, searching for edges.

"That's what I said! Now let's go ya goddamn hick!" Scale face wished she could crack the redneck with the cards in the balls, but was too focused on Tommy, getting out, and not getting discovered.

Gambit focused on the door, and coolly replied "Ah'm Cajun, actually...here!" Gambit found a door seam then a crooked edge that had to be a lock, he then charged a card and wedged it into the door. "Yo' may wanna back up some." The card blew open the doors to reveal more corridor, and another cell. Gambit got half way down the hall before the lights began to flicker more quickly, and the security system began to hum, it was recharging.

"Dit mon la verite'! Power's comin' back! Get outta sight!" It was coming on too fast, Gambit didn't have time to run back out toward Cyclops and Logan, and there was no time to get to the next cell.

"Move yerself, Gumbo!" Logan and Scott pulled Tommy and Scale face into a parallel corridor.

"Gambit get out of there!" Scott called out, just in time to see the doors close, and lock Gambit behind them. He then, tapped into that age old question, 'What would Spiderman do?', and leapt up to the cavern ceiling. Gambit used the stalactites, and mercifully porous rock to grip, and hung just above the motion detectors, and the view of the cameras.

"Well dis is juuuuus' great..." Gambit thought, he held his body as flush with the ceiling as possible, and began making his way to the next cell. Blood rushing places he wished blood wouldn't. Initially Gambit thought Scott's voice was coming from behind the door, but he started to realize it was in his head, and buzzing in his ear as Jean, and the Professor used their telepathic ability to keep everyone connected. It was one of the strangest, and most intrusive moments of this life.

"Gambit, where are you? Report in!" Cyclops sounded a bit frantic, Gambit didn't know if it was because they got separated or because there was one less person to deal with Scale face.

"Calm down, Cyke. Ah'm fine, Ah'm resistin' de urge ta make a 'hangin' out' joke, but fine. Ah'm makin' mah way down ta Colossus. Got a feelin' he down dis way, de security's gettin' tighter. If it ain't him there be somethin' down here."

"You sure?"

"Rather be doin' dis den puttin' up wit de hot mess yo' datin' at de moment." Though Gambit had been raised to never hit a women, he wasn't sure if Scale face qualified. Best to just avoid the situation, or temptation, depending how you wanna look at it.

"Fine call us if you need help or-"

"Ah will Cyke, now get outta m' head, s'creepin' me out, n' Ah'm workin' here."

* * *

Kitty could feel Sam sweating through his glove, as they phased through the mounds of caved in rock.

"Are you okay?"

"Ah feel like Ah'm 'bout to hit a wall, but it never happens."

"Yeah, you get used to that."

"If yer you maybe! Please don't let go o'mah hand even after we make ta the other side!"

"Why?"

"Cause Ah ain't openin' mah eyes til were through!"

"Chill out corn-pone! I'll tell you when the scary parts over." Kitty was doing everything she possibly could to keep from laughing at him, and was just about to before Scott hummed into her head via red-headed telepath.

"Shadowcat, we need you to come to us to pick up a couple of um, 'ladies' to the elevator. Then we need you to rendezvous with Kurt and Bobby to pick up several detainees "

"I'll be on my way in literally two minutes, we gotta be near the bottom soon."

"Hurry guys."

"A girl's work is never done." Kitty sighed, "Okay Sammy I don't know if you heard that, but we gotta book. Move those jets."

"Okay s'long as you promise-"

"Not to let go of your hand, I know, I know, but you gotta keep your eyes open. Seriously Sam! I'm NOT kidding! You so much as blink too long, and I let go! Now move!" Kitty hung on for dear life as Cannonball took the lead and jettisoned them through several thousand tons of rock.

* * *

"Exactly how much time yo' gonna need Forge?" Rogue could have swore she felt her stomach growl, she was sick of pizza and hadn't eaten before they left. So at least she hoped it was her stomach, and not the sound of the mine threatening to come down, and kill them.

"Not much, I can this mine set to blow and have us home in time for Conan." Forge smiled, his hands working faster and faster. There was a good chance he was trying beat a personal record.

"Make it so Forge, I love that show." Beast and Forge were busy putting explosives in place.

"Y'all can talk t.v. all ya want, Ah'm gonna find me a laboratory." Rogue was getting antsy and really wanted to move.

"Don't go far Rogue, we need to leave together, and we'll be done soon." Beast warned.

"You 'member what Scott said there's probably no one even down here, an' Ah can handle mah'self." Rogue knew there would be a quick search for lab personal after the explosives were set, but Rogue figured if she did the sweep, while Beast and Forge did their thing than they would be out in half the time.

"Rogue regardless!" Beast scolded.

"Fine, fine, Ah'll be within shoutin' distance." Rogue crept about a dozen paces from Forge and Beast. She noticed an unnatural light, a light you wouldn't expect to find in a mine, and walked toward it. Even more unlikely was a huge pocket of space that opened into a full scale laboratory. Rogue smiled upon her discovery, "This is as good a place as any to start syphoning some information." She thought, and since there wasn't a strip of flesh in the know hanging around, she figured she'd do it the old fashioned way, and took out the souped up USB port that Forge gave her, from the looks of the thing, Rogue was pretty sure Forge got it from the distant future. She searched the large pieces of medical equipment, and looked for something that might have some information worth stealing.

"Well, well, isn't this interesting?" A man's voice suddenly spoke up directly behind her. Rogue jumped, and standing right in front of her was a smiling lab technician. He was a young Asian man, with short dark black hair, and a long white lab coat. Strangely he wasn't alarmed to see a young mutant running loose around his lab. She had no idea that some lab-rat would have any inclination on how to sneak up on someone that well.

"Now Ah don't want any trouble. N' Ah don't want ta hurt you, but what ya'all are doin' ain't right." Rogue spoke slowly, and took one of her gloves off.

"Oh Rogue, is that really necessary?" Still smiling, the technician approached her, hands in the air, almost mocking her. There was something about his voice that didn't sound right. It was almost like was changing.

"How do you know me?" Rogue demanded. "Fer'get it! Ah'll find out mah'self." Rogue took off her other glove. She could have easily taken this guy, but there was something about him that was so unsettling that she found herself a little hesitant. This felt some how...familiar.

"Such denial. I hate it when you pretend you don't recognize me." The technician's features changed, his light skin became clouded and blue, his dark hair lightened into a bright red, and became long. Rogue's eyes were wide with total shock, then narrowed with anger.

"Mystique!? Of course yer here! Why am Ah not surprised!? Get away from me, n' stay outta the X-men's way!" Rogue was seething! What was with this woman and not being able to take a hint? Whatever reason Mystique was here, Rogue didn't want to hear it. Maybe in some twisted way her ideas might have been well meaning, but never without the risk of totally destroying Rogue's life, and never ever without benefiting Mystique herself. Rogue distanced herself immediately, and began looking for the fastest was back to Forge and Beast.

"Rogue wait! Please this concerns you, and I more than you know." Mystique sounded the way she always did whenever she was trying to creep back into Rogue's life. Sincere, remorseful, and desperate.

"There is no 'you n'Ah' anymore Mystique! I stopped bein' yer daughter the day you started usin' me! Now get outta mah way!" Rogue felt that was a definitive enough answer, she turned away from the woman that raised her, and started on her way back to Beast and Forge. Nothing that woman would say could bring her back to her old life. You'd figure once you've pushed someone off a cliff, they'd get that the relationship was over. Mystique's other possible mutant power had to be unwavering tenacity. Lucky for Rogue.

"You may have stopped being my daughter, but what about Irene?" Mystique asked breathlessly. Not anything would have distracted Rogue from her mission. Except maybe that. Rogue stopped dead in her tracks, she felt for a moment she couldn't breath.

"Wha?! Mystique, tell me she's not here! Not this place!" Rogue could feel her heart beating in her throat. Irene was the opposite of Mystique in almost every way. Irene was sweet, soft spoken, selfless, and Rogue never stopped loving her.

"You know her abilities as well as I, dear. Knowing the future is something these people find very valuable."

"M-momma? Oh god..." Rogue was chilled to her bones, Irene was blind, and a somewhat frail woman. She wouldn't last long among these people.

"Now you know how I feel. Please Rogue, help me. I've been posing as a tech here for about a week. I know where she's being held, but they never put Irene under my observation. Her abilities were too 'high priority' for the guy I was pretending to be. That responsibility went to their 'best and brightest'."

"So why haven't you gone an' got her yet? Why d'ya need me, if you know where she is n'all?" As terrifying as it was having Irene down here, Rogue couldn't let go of the fact that Mystique could have been making everything up.

"Let just say their 'best and brightest' really are damn good. I wouldn't be able to do it on my own. Besides Irene, they also have a few more of my associates locked up. I was waiting for a good time to brake out my people so they could help me get Irene, and get out. But now it looks like your X-men are actually doing something useful for a change, and since I know you guys tend to make big exits, I'm outta time, and you, my dear daughter, just happen to be here. I rather make this a family affair; estrangement or not Rogue, she's family. Your family." Mystique could see she hadn't totally won her daughter over, but she was actually telling the truth on this one."We were all a family once, Irene misses you, it broke her heart when you left. I still care about you too Rogue, I miss you." Mystique knew Irene in danger and a blockbuster guilt trip would be the one-two punch she needed to get Rogue on her side.

"Well that's too bad Mystique, because I don' miss you. You forfeited any right ta be mah mom a long time ago. Now c'mon lets get Momma, then we part ways. Ah never want ta see you again."

"Fine, you call the shots, dear, whatever it takes to get Irene out of here. Then you can go back to your X-men." Mystique said bitterly.

"Fine." Rogue said just as bitter. Like mother, like daughter.

* * *

"Dit mon la verite' : Tell me the truth! Cajun saying, similar to "are you kidding me?!"


	17. Vodka va bien avec pizza, non?

"Did you feel that rumble?" Bobby asked. At first he thought he was just hungry. Pizza just didn't seem to be filling lately.

"I'm trying to ignore it. Just stay close, if we gotta teleport out of here I don't want to reach far for you." Night-crawler warned. Thankfully, it had been smooth sailing. There was some minor security that Night-crawler, and Iceman had easily maneuvered around, but 'easy' wasn't a good thing, and 'too easy' was just a trap. They moved slowly down a brightly lit corridor, then to what looked like a holding cell cut into the wall. Someone or something was moving inside it.

"Ignore it? Are you serious, man? What exactly do you think could distract me from a whole mine crashing dow-dow-duh...Hi-lo..." Iceman painfully stammered his way through several inaudible sentences, before he could come up with anything approaching a decibel, their newly discovered prisoner spoke first.

"Are you mutants all well? Are you here to get us out?" She was Elisabeth 'Betsy' Braddock, also known as 'Psylocke', she was a budding telepathic, and stunning. She was about eighteen or nineteen years old, with deep black-almost purple hair, sultry eyes, full lips, and full beautiful curves. What would follow would later make Bobby wish that the mine had come crashing down on him.

"I-I, a mutant, a X-men, yeah and also Bobby." It sounded so much better in his head. Painful was too weak a word for this verbal disaster.

"Excuse me?" Psylocke's British accent made it sound like she was singing each word, making Iceman helplessly smitten, and all the more determined to impress her. Or he'd at least settle for failing less.

"I mean, Iceman. I'm Iceman! Yes were mutants, and yes we're here to save you! But I'm also Bobby... like all the time." Why was that so much better, but still so horrible? Iceman just couldn't get his head, and mouth to work together.

"Dude, get a hold of yourself. Its embarrassing." Kurt whispered to Bobby. "We're the X-men, I'm Night-crawler, I'll be right in for you." Night-crawler sized up the cell, Psylocke must have been their latest acquisition, she seemed perfectly healthy, and aware. This was getting too easy, and that wasn't good.

"You'll be right in-? Whoa! Wow." The fuzzy blue hero was in front of her one moment then right beside her the next. This was Betsy's first exposure to teleportation, it was wonderful, but she was still at a loss as to how to react to it.

"Hang on." Night-crawler put a hand on her shoulder, and before she could get the word 'okay' out of her mouth, she was on the other side of her cell.

"Okay!" Betsy smiled. "That was amazing. Thank you, Night-crawler, right?"

"And me! I'm-"

"And Iceman-but-also-Bobby. Thank you both, but there's more of us down here, two more of them, I'm positive. I'm sure I was the last one, but there's a blonde man they took earlier, and Shiro's down here as well. They just brought him back."

"Lead the way..." Kurt said. He then looked at Bobby and prayed he would keep his mouth shut, if only for his own good.

* * *

Cyclops had just closed telepathic communication with Gambit, and so far, Cyclops was impressed. If Gambit could stay loyal to the X-men, he would be a very valuable addition, but that was a pretty big 'if'.

"Gambit's going for Colossus." Cyclops said to Logan.

"Ya think it's a good idea lettin' the Cajun go it alone?" Valuable or not, it didn't matter to Logan, Gambit was expendable as far as he was concerned. The idea that Gambit was running loose on his own was not a smart move, if the thief wasn't under their watch, he was a hazard.

"Its going to have be okay for now. We saw he was pretty capable of taking care of himself." Cyclops didn't want to linger on it, there was other matters to attend to. For instance, this charm school dropout and her paper-doll, needed to get top side asap. Scale face was still pretty hyper despite the blood-loss, and she didn't take well to the two X-men talking and not moving toward an exit.

"Hey! Hello! Remember us?! Yer redneck friend's dead! Move on! Let's get f****** going!" Scale face shrieked. She didn't understand that another blue-furred teammate of theirs was trying to contact them telepathically, Beast sounded a bit desperate, he had some pretty bad news.

"Cyclops! Are you there? Logan?" Beast chimed into Cyclops' and Logan's mind.

"We're both here. Go ahead Beast." Cyclops said.

"Rogue's gone!" Beast said. Logan was instantly alert, and upset. All Scale face saw were two 'piss-poor' hero wannabes, that were just looking at each other, reacting to nothing, and standing around for no good reason.

"Uh, why are you just f****** standing there jerking off?!" Scale face demanded. Logan was still reacting to Rogue's disappearance, and couldn't bring himself to give Scale face any attention.

"What?! What'd ya mean 'gone' Beast?!" Logan growled, he spoke aloud, leaving Scale face even more frustrated. From her viewpoint, now all they were doing was saying random crap, and still not moving.

"One moment she was talking to us, and in my peripheral vision, then the next she was gone. We can't find her! Perhaps if we venture to another level we could-" Beast felt totally at fault, he felt it was his obligation to find his missing student.

"No, finish up and head out! We need to start clearing out. Let us deal with finding Rogue. Get top side, and await farther instructions." Cyclops sounded calculated and sterile, to Beast it almost sounded like he didn't care.

"Hey! Wake up ya goddamn tool! I'm bleeding ta death here if you haven't f****** noticed!" Scale face yelled at Cyclops, she was reaching her limit. Why was no one moving? Why was no one listening to her? And what the hell were they doing?

"But Scott-" Beast began to protest. If he never saw Rogue ever again, he would never forgive himself.

"Now Beast! Rogue knows the plan, and so do you. If we don't find her, she'll find us. Now move!" Cyclops didn't have time to use comforting words, and there was certainly no time for deviation of the plan. Cyclops closed the telepathic link with Beast, and was about to keep walking to the next check point without a another word. Logan stopped him, he wanted to let Cyclops know where he stood regarding Rogue.

"Just a warning Cyke. I leave with her, otherwise I don't leave at all." Logan gritted through her teeth, he meant every word.

"We'll do what we can Logan. Let's move." In the field Cyclops could feel himself becoming a different person, a leader, but what kind of leader was he turning out to be? Scott could patronize all he wanted, Wolverine was going to do whatever he wanted once they secured Tommy and Mrs. Manners a ride up to the surface, he was going for Rogue, authorized or not.

"Okay! You know what? F*** you two c****! Gimme Tommy! I can find my own way out! I'm not waitin' around ta get-" Scale face could no longer sit still, she was leaving one way or another. Logan, now under a new and alarming type of pressure, was no longer tolerating Scale face's attitude.

"I've had enough of yer mouth, princess! You n'the 'post-it' are gettin' out as soon as we get yer ride gets here! Now shut her junkie mouth before I drop you down a mine shaft." Logan growled. Scale face looked over her shoulder, sure enough, there was a deep mine shaft directly behind her. Scale faces demeanor changed, she grinned, and actually went a whole ten seconds before saying something aggressively disturbing.

"Ya know, Grandpa you got f***able all of a sudden." Scale face mocked, raising her eye brows at him.

"Cyclops. Call Kitty before I do somethin' dry-cleaning can't fix." Logan sneered, disgusted, he was done babysitting the little psycho.

"Already taken care of, start making your way down this hall, while I set these two up for pick up." Cyclops was pretty sure killing the people you were supposed to save was an instant fail, as far as a rescue operation went. He needed to separate Scale face from Logan immediately.

Logan made his way only a few steps down a dimly lit corridor before he heard Scale face say something, no doubt rude, and swearing, as Kitty pulled them through the stone cavern walls to the elevator.

"Good riddance." Logan thought. There wasn't enough solid rock in world to get him far enough from that girl, but Logan quickly forgot about her as he a rounded the next corner, he wasn't ready for this. A familiar face was staring back at him, cuffed to a gurney, and screaming at absolution nothing, was Pyro. He suddenly realized they had stumbled onto a bit more than they bargained for. It was Pyro alright, but he looked to be quite busy at the moment...going completely out of his mind. He screamed behind sound proof glass, laughing and talking at nothing, glassy-eyed, and writhing. They had shaved his head and had given him what appeared to be a full frontal lobotomy. Clearly they were trying to extract from Pyro, whatever made him Pyro.

"Remind me. I owe Kitty when we get home." Cyclops sighed, jogging up to Wolverine's side, he squinted at the bright light in front of him.

"Yeah, we'll give 'er a plane. Look who it is." Logan was hit with a sudden stench of coagulated blood, and bodily methane. Someone was performing surgery, and from the smell of it, not using any kind of anaesthetic. At least when he was a boy, and needed to get a tooth extracted, he got whiskey.

"Ugh. Looks like everyone's gone home for the night." Cyclops tried not to let the sight of this pathetic man shake him.

"The medical staff maybe, but not the watchdogs...I can smell gun oil. Let's get him outta there, and find Rogue." Wolverine cut a hole in the glass, thankfully he was equipped with the only type of metal that could have done it. Cyclops sent a blunt optic blast against the glass to knock it loose. Pyro seemed like he was oblivious to everything around him, he paid no attention to either X-man, or that they were breaking him out. Pyro just continued to laugh, and ramble nonsense at something above his head.

Cyclops sighed, and for no other reason other than it was just something to say Cyclops said, "John, I presume?" Surprisingly Pyro snapped to attention, and looked directly at Cyclops, he actually heard him, and settled down completely. Instead of being a screaming lunatic, he smiled pleasantly at Wolverine and Cyclops, as though he were greeting some old friends, it didn't even seem like he knew he was half a mile under the Earth or that he had just undergone massive brain surgery.

"Oh, good evening, sir. How d' ya do?" Pyro asked, he was totally delusional. It was starling, like someone flipped a switch. Pyro's demeanor became polite, gracious, and composed. What had these people knocked loose? Without even intending to, Scott had tapped into the current plane, on which Mr. Saint-John Allerdyce was now living. Perhaps these surgeons had stumbled on that old archaic theory of 'What will make a sane man mad, will make a mad man sane.'

"Um...Very well...thank you?" Cyclops spoke slowly, he didn't know if Pyro was screwing with them, or if he was actually delusional.

"Do forgive me, sir, but I have not yet set out the drinks, seeing as I'm a bit...indisposed." Never mind they didn't stumble onto anything, those surgeons left him as they found him, utterly insane, but easier to manage.

"We'll get you down from there just be still." Cyclops said.

"If it's not a bother, I would appreciate the help, mate. Otherwise I can call on the maid to do it." Pyro was friendly...and no longer living on this planet.

"Uh, no. Let's not bother her...its, um...Far too late...?" Cyclops decided to play along, he seemed docile enough, and with no flame thrower to generate the fire he was able to control, he wasn't as dangerous.

"Ah, quite right, what an atrocious hour for drinks. Perhaps we should forego hors d'oeuvres, and retire for the evening."

"That's a great idea, why don't you sleep, while my friend and I clean up?" Cyclops tried to sound as light and cordial as possible.

"Brilliant! We must be refreshed for the long trip to Monte Carlo. G'night everybody!" Just like that Pyro was out, sleeping. Dreaming of a long beautiful coast, and the lovely golden tan he would achieve.

"Well that worked out better than I thought it would. What did they do to him?" Scott asked still finding Pyro's transformation eerie. Wolverine wrapped him up tightly with the sheet and belt-restraints he had ripped off the gurney.

"Looks like they pushed him inta a new kinda crazy, and now he's dreamt up a new place to live. At least it sounds nice. Here, take him up top, I'm headin' out. I need to find Rogue." Logan picked up Pyro, and attempted to pass him off to Cyclops.

"Logan, all due respect, I'm giving the orders on this trip, and we stay together. First, Kurt and Bobby- we rendezvous with them, lighten their load, then Rogue."

"Listen up, Junior, I go where I wanna go. Squeeze whatever respect you can from that." Logan spoke in a low growl. He turned his back to Scott, and began to start this search. Wolverine was all for the completing this mission successfully, but he had his own priorities, if they didn't line up, then at was just too freaking bad. Cyclops would not be ignored, not on his first mission, he had a tenacious drive to establish himself as an X-man, as a leader. If he could get that respect from a guy like Logan, well, than he could do anything.

"That's an order Logan! Your not deviating from the assignment!" Cyclops tried to sound as authoritative as he could, he stepped in front of Logan. Scott had, had a late growth spurt in the few months following graduation, he was the same height, if not a little taller, than Logan now. Cyclops felt the need to assert his place with Wolverine there and now, he planted a finger sharply in Logan's chest. No one kept Logan from leaving, especially not some good soldier boy that he could have baby-sat for. He looked down at Cyclops' finger jabbing his chest, then looked up at Cyclops' face.

"Ya think just cause ya got some hair on yer nuts now you can stop me-" Logan said, gritting his teeth. He was interrupted by a sudden tremor, the mine around them shook, rock fell from the ceiling. It was a tremor strong enough to knock over loose lab equipment, and shut down several monitors. Cyclops stumbled back, nearly falling into a bottomless black mine shaft, Logan grabbed him by neck, and pulled him to his feet. He could have easily let Cyclops fall into the pit, or crushed his wind pipe; Logan could have also just as easily grabbed onto Scott's arm, or collar, but that wouldn't have sent a message, now would it? Logan understood leadership and rank, but he outgrew respect for that some 55-60 years ago, his statute of limitation on taking orders had long since expired.

"Wh-what was...that?! A cave-in?!" Cyclops choked.

"No, an explosion." Logan listened intently, but only for a moment, "This way!" Good chance where ever the action was, so was Rogue. Logan than dashed out down a lit hallway, Pyro over his shoulder, still dreaming, amidst a nightmare.

* * *

Rogue watched the woman who was once her mother, like a hawk. It wasn't a question of if Mystique would double cross her, it was a question of when, and how she would do it, but she couldn't help but follow. Rogue felt like she didn't have a choice, the woman that she still considered a mother was in danger, and leaving Irene in this horrible place was out of the question. They quietly made their way through the mazes of stone tunnels, and make-shift labs. Mystique used every ability to get them through the high security areas, shape shifting into several different people to obtain access into restricted areas. Rogue watched the woman move like smoke from corner to corner. Silently, gracefully, every move appeared to be choreographed. It would have been impressive, if Rogue wasn't too busy waiting to be stabbed in the back. They hadn't seen a soul, until they finally they came to a large surgical room, with a large glass window. A woman stood behind the glass, tall, blonde, and dressed in a crisp white lab coat. She was Carol Danvers, the best of the best, and she was standing in front of their beloved Irene strapped to gurney, unconscious. Miss Best-and-brightest was prepping a needle attached to a bag with some sort of liquid in it.

"Oh, Momma." Rogue thought, she instantly hated the woman with the needle. Rogue was scared she would reveal their position, because she was ready to jump up and attack. "Who's that?" Rogue asked, fists shaking fervently. This was only one woman after all, why did Mystique need her for this? She was more than capable, Rogue started getting suspicious.

"She's science project moon lighting as a Government soldier." Mystique sneered.

"What are you talkin' 'bout?" Rogue didn't like how Mystique reacted to the question, it sounded...off. Though Rogue chalked it up to Mystique losing her nerve over seeing Irene like this.

"Carol Danvers, she's part of the government's anti-mutant lab rat division. She's a straight A soldier that got the privilege of stealing our powers to use as the government sees fit." Mystique's eyes never left Irene or Danvers. She could also see Rogue becoming very tense.

"They're makin' charged up soldiers?!" Rogue couldn't believe it, it was more than unbelievable, it was bad science fiction, and a disgusting double standard at the same time! Transplanting powers from mutants they hated, so they could be LIKE the mutants they hated! It was the rankest sort of Mengele-style hatred.

"And we mutants, are what they're charging up with. They're planning on using us as the 'weapons of tomorrow.' Why use those horrible, flat-scan mutant freaks, when they can just up grade their own pure human people? We're not people to them Rogue, we're a resource to be harvested." Mother or not, Mystique always found herself lecturing to Rogue, preparing her for anything that might harm her. Potential threats, whether it be hidden enemies, or full-scale assaults Mystique always wanted Rogue alert, if not paranoid. Some mothers just remind their kids to take a coat.

"Not with Mom they're not!" Rogue couldn't sit still anymore. Thankfully, Rogue wasn't as fast as Mystique, and grabbed Rogue before she could get very far.

"Wait, Rogue open your eyes for a second! What has Xavier been teaching you? I'm suddenly very concerned with the type of education you're getting at that school." Mystique held Rogue back so she could watch Ms. Carol Danvers fly from one side of the lab to the another, while lifting a large piece of machinery to be hooked up to the ceiling.

"That things gotta weight a ton!" Now it was making sense, 'best and brightest' really meant if-you're-trying-to-kill-this-woman-make-sure-you- bring-a-sacrifice. How sweet it was for Mystique to think of her. She lifted what was possibly a two ton piece of machinery, as easily as you'd lift a coffee mug; while flying in mid-air no less.

"If she's here, that means they have already started transferring powers to humans successfully." Mystique warned.

"So then we got no idea o'what she can do, or how many mutants she's sucked dry to get them powers." This was just getting better all the time.

" I know what she can do. We can do this, Rogue. That just means you'll have to drain her of every ability she has, so she can't steal from mutants anymore!"

"Me? But why can't we jus' call the other X-men to-"

"You can disable her, strip her of those powers permanently! By the time you get your X-men, Danvers could be done with whatever she's doing to your Mother. We know she's extracted the powers from a few different mutants, and she has to pay for that!"

"Pay? I thought this was about gettin' Mom-" Rogue didn't like her choice of wording, something was really not sitting right. Mystique was speaking way too personal about Danvers. Rogue had a feeling that there was some dual purpose to her being here. Yes, it was to get Irene back, but there was some stupid revenge thing happening here too. Rogue could feel it. If Mystique's insane plan meant saving Irene, then Rogue guessed she could live with it, whatever other reason didn't matter as long as Irene was safe and sound.

"It is, but in doing so, there's no need to keep that butcher in commission! You have to hold on to her for a while. You can strip away each one of her powers layer by layer. All it'll take is a little extra time making flesh to flesh contact with her. With one person, one power, all you need is a moment. With Danvers and all of the mutants I've seen come in for her 'treatment', she should be drained for about 60 to 90 seconds. That will take her down, for sure."

"But I've never held on ta anyone that long! What if-?." It did make a lot of sense, but Rogue knew her power wasn't the type of thing you could really practice until perfect, like Jean's or Kitty's, it was more of a sad no trails, no errors, no success philosophy.

"We don't have time or a choice, Rogue. I know how this works, I've seen the experiment, and I won't let them add Irene to Danvers' resume. I'll give her something to fight with while you grab her. Once you've got her down, I'll get Irene." Mystique reached over, morphed her fingers into blades and in one swift motion, cut Rogue's sleeves off.

"Why'd you have to go n' do that?!" Rogue protested.

"All the better to drain her with, my dear. Now I know your not happy about it, but once you got her, I'll make sure you keep her, and I'll guide you through. I know Carol Danvers, and I'll make sure you keep the upper hand. This is for Irene, I don't know what I'd do without her, please Rogue?"

"Fine Mystique, but if Ah fin' out yer up ta somethin'-"

"I get it, come on." Mystique wouldn't admit it, but her dear daughter did know her well, very well. She hated Xavier for stealing her daughter away, and once Mystique gave Rogue, the 'gift' she had planned since she had first held her, they would be reunited. Mystique would have her family back again, and taking down Carol Danvers was the only way to do it.

* * *

Piotr Nikolaievich 'Peter' Rasputin, alias Colossus, had wanted nothing more than a peaceful existence with his family. Though intrusive financially, the Russian government had paid them no personal mind. The Government had been unfairly taxing his family for years, and back then his powers seemed like a true blessing. The ability to transform into organic steel awarded him tremendous strength, and near invaulnerablity, which made farm work so much simpler. He could do three times the work in half the time of a regular day! Even if someone got sick there were no worries, Peter made enough money for food, doctors, and the taxes. Papa, Mama, his brother, and his beautiful little sister Lllyana were never so happy. Once word spread about the young Rasputin boy's abilities, the Government became involved, quick to take ownership over him, the same way they did over their unfair taxes. That's when Magneto approached him, offering him a chance to fight for freedom, and most importantly, protection for his family. Just like his powers, however, Magneto seemed like a blessing at first, until the 'freedom fighting' he was doing didn't seem at all different from the power-hungry fighting his oppressive government wanted him to do. He hated being used as a weapon against his will, hurting the innocent to make a statement, imposing fear on others, and his family always being used as bait. Was it asking so much to be left alone? As he hung in his maximum security cell all he could do was think, and mull over every bad decision that caused him to end up here. He continued to pace a well-worn track in his head, until he noticed someone watching him, smiling. It was a familiar face, just the head actually, hanging upside down from the ceiling. What kind of drugs had these butchers given him? He was seeing things.

"Room service Monsieur Nikolaievich? Hear yo' not happy wit yo' room." Remy was happy to see his former team mate conscious and in one piece. There would have been no way Remy could carry a solid steel Russian out of the mine on his own. It hadn't dawned on him to call any of the X-men for help, he wasn't used to this team work thing yet.

"What? Remy!? How?" Peter was baffled. Remy was the last person he ever thought he'd see in this place. Was this real?

"Now them's some loaded questions, best answered over beer. Or Vodka in yo' case. Got a bottle o'Goose wit yo' name on it." Remy smiled.

"It is you!" Peter smiled for the first time in weeks, the only person he had ever met that could turn a racial stereotype into a friendly drinking invitation was Remy. Peter liked Remy, but he trusted him about as far as he could throw him; figuratively speaking, he could, in fact, throw him quite far, but he was a criminal for hire after all, perhaps not a blood thirsty killer, but not the company he preferred.

"Ah hope so, de world don' deserve ta have two o'me runnin' 'round. Les' get yo' outta here." Again, Gambit set his sights on the weak spots of the obstacle in front of him.

"Thank you, Remy but I will not accept help from Magneto again." Colossus hung his head. "I rather be here, and find my own way, maybe one day you may find the same thing for yourself. Again thank you for the offer my friend, but move on to another that may want Magneto's assistance." It would have been nice, but the only way to simplify his life was to purge it of poison, Magneto, and the company he employed to service his violent dream, were toxic.

"Wit all dat English you jus' learn n' you waste it all like dat? Ah'm here as an' X-man, not wit Magneto. Workin' on de other side fo' a change." Remy said, surprisingly it actually felt really good to say.

"X-man? The X-men are here?" Peter was shocked, the last time he had seen the X-men they had been working toward a harmony between human and mutant kind. An intriguing idea, one that Peter would have been interested in hearing about if he hadn't been forced to fight with Magneto. He had also liked the young X-man he had fought with briefly, a young girl. Cat or something like that, he believed her name was. She seem genuine and eager to fight for a peaceful existence, that was...enticing.

"Stop wit de questions, n' get rescued like a man. Sooner we done, sooner we drink."

* * *

~And now a message from the Author~

_Hello everyone! Thank you all who have left comments, and that have taken the time to read my very first story. It means a lot to me that anyone would take time out of their day to read something I've created. Now I gotta ask, is everyone digging the length of this thing? I'm throwing a whole lot of plot at you at once. I mean, when I set out to write this I was planning on a one to three chapter idea! Not a freaking book (but I am having fun doing it). So my question to you is this: Is the length of the story a turn off? Or should I find a way to wrap it up, and start a new story using what I've got? Lemme hear it guys!_


	18. Oui, c'est ce qu'il voulait dire

"So... what? You can't be a hero unless yer inbred?" Scale face sneered at Sam, she was annoyed that the elevator wasn't operational yet. If she wasn't such a bloody mess, and holding Tommy, she would have been much more unpleasant. Scary thought. They were all aware of the rumbling, and cracking going on above, and around them. Sam seemed to be the most comfortable then anyone down in a mine, and working that shaft elevator; it was just like going home.

"Ah ain't inbred, but Ah am tryin' ta help you! It's old n' needs some time ta power up." Cannonball chalked her bad attitude up to blood loss. Shadowcat was not as sympathetic. Seeing as she had to make the whole trip down with Scale face by herself, patience for Miss Foul-Mouth, was wearing very, very thin.

"What kind s***-ass heroes are you!?" Scale face shot back.

"That's it! Sam, I'm gonna rip out each one of those disgusting face piercings!" Kitty tried lunging in Scale face's direction, long limbed Cannonball entwined her in his thin but surprisingly strong arms.

"Try it ghost-bitch!" Scale face beckoned. Sam had a rule, you never get in between fighting ladies, but right now half their team was still down in a shaking crumbling mine, and as the only one not yelling threats, he took it upon himself to keep the peace.

"Hey! Hey! Kitty calm down, breath! Breath. She don't like us any more n' we like her, Ah'm jus' gonna git this elevator runnin' n'send both o'em on up ta the others, an' you gotta git goin' ta Cyclops n' Wolverine, they're gonna need ya !" Kitty composed herself, and took a deep breath. Cannonball was calming, gentle, and above all else, right.

"I'm with the Hill-Jack." Scale face said, and sarcastically gave Sam a thumbs up, " Way ta only look like yer retarded." Once again, Kitty lunged at Scale face, clawing in her direction, and again, Sam caught her just in time.

"Ma'am if yer not gonna help, kindly shut up, and please, if it ain't too much o'a inconvenience, git on the damn elevator! Kitty go!" Cannonball spoke with an authority Kitty had never heard before, even Scale face jumped a little. Sam then turned Shadowcat toward the direction she needed to go. She grumbled angrily as she disappeared through a slab of limestone. Scale face and Tommy were already on the elevator platform. Scale face eyed the rickety old piece of equipment, and to her, the sound the elevator was making was really unsettling.

"Hey, Jethro! You sure this thing won't break?" Scale face asked, being oddly civil at the moment; she didn't know if it was the blood loss, or if she was taken off guard by Sam's weird mix of being unusually kind, and yelling at her, but he made her less hostile. Or that, maybe, just maybe, she secretly thought the whole tall, scrawny, corn-smokin'-cousin-pokin'-hillbilly accent thing was...kinda...cute.

"This ones set ta hold a good 2000lbs so...Nope, Ah'm not sure at all really. Sayin' a prayer might help." Scale face's eyes widened, she had no come back, no insult, Cannonball had actually scared her silent. Sam picked up a crow bar, positioned himself in a golf-stance, and gave a particular gear a light putt, and up the elevator went. Who needed a degree an engineering? Samuel Guthrie was the Fonzie of mine elevators. Scale face was impressed for the first time by one of these X-whatevers.

"Well, alright Cletus! Y'know if yer not already married to a horse, or something, you should look me up!" She was so relieved to finally be leaving, she found herself hitting on Sam, she was actually smiling at him.

"If'n Ah ever git outta that-there ce-ment pond, Ah'll surly do that! Have a g'night, hear?" He joked, speaking with a silly, and ridiculously over-done accent. He smiled sweetly at her, he knew there had to be a soul under all that ink, metal, and filth. Scale face could smell fresh air, as she and Tommy ascended to the star-covered sky above.

* * *

_( ~~ translated from Japanese.*)_

Iceman froze the security cameras, giving them a dense frosty cover to work with, he stood behind Elisabeth, and Nightcrawler, as they attempted to wake Sunfire. His powers were useless underground, he was weak, and they would need to carry him out.

"~Shiro wake up! Where being rescued!~" Elisabeth begged, "~Shiro Yoshida!~"

"~E-Elisabeth? You're okay? Who are they?~" Shiro Yoshida, alias Sunfire. He groggily opened his eyes, to look at the lovely young woman that had attempted to come to his aid when the these monsters first came for him. These people had known all about him, and his powers. The last thing he remembered was going to bed, he now knew that his strange dream of clamoring metal, and rushing air was, in actuality, an elaborate kidnapping and transport. Whatever Sunfire had been through, in these underground labs, was best described as: what an orange feels like after being squeezed dry. These animals had forced his abilities from his body by unnatural means. He was not their puppet to do as they saw fit, he would never fight for the United States, not against their mutants, and not against their enemies. He vowed revenge on these people, and all those in charge.

"~The X-men have come to help us. The boy is Iceman. This one is Nightcrawler, he will remove you from your restraints. Do not be alarmed by his appearance.~"

"~Can they be trusted?~" Shiro did not trust the mutant group known as the X-men, not only because they were primarily an American group, but because they were similar to a group that had approached him before, a man named Magneto had wanted him to fight for his pathetic cause. Sunfire fought for his own causes, and made it quite clear to Magneto that he wasn't interested, and no one, let alone some would-be tin-horn dictator, could give him any order.

"~Anyone that looks like Nightcrawler, is no ally to these mad men, Shiro. We have more opportunity for freedom with them then we do here.~" Psylocke said.

"~Agreed. Work quickly.~" Shiro said weakly.

"He's ready for you Nightcrawler. Be fast, we are about to be attacked." Psylocke said, just as Kurt teleported them into Sunfire's cell.

"How do you know that?" Bobby asked now alarmed.

"I can 'see' them!" Psylocke used her telekinesis to 'see' beyond walls. The tunnels began to rumble. Iceman gave them an extra coat of ice for reinforcement. He always had a secret fear of being buried alive. All at once it seemed like the ice walls were cracking around them, unfriendly voices were projecting in front, and to the sides of them. The anticipation was the worst part, Bobby's heart rattled in his chest, small pearls of frozen sweat dropped from his brow, and hit the ground like glass beads. A loud 'thump', shook the floor around them, Iceman jumped to avoid a softball-size rock that almost cracked him in the head. Iceman was losing his nerve.

"Kurt let's getting 'portin' already! Sounds like we got a lot of company!" Iceman called out, they had no clue as to where the loud angry voices would break through first. The echoing click of high powered weapons, and the snapping sound of equipment setting up surrounded them, made his hands shake. Bobby's mind jumped to the worst case scenario: "Would they just blow the tunnel? Oh God, I don't wanna die that way!" He struggled to get a hold of himself, and tried to be ready for whatever came next.

"I can't get him loose! This thing looks like it'll trigger something if I pull him out! Maybe I can get Forge up here to-" Nightcrawler was cut off by Psylocke.

"There isn't time to forge anything! Just cut the connection. Here!" Psylocke called out, as a pink triangle of lighted energy generated around her hand.

"No Forge is-AH!" Nightcrawler stumbled back as, as she promptly jammed her 'phychic knife' into the restraints' wiring, disconnecting either an alarm, or a kill-switch default, ready to murder Sunfire if he broke free. Insurance is an important part of any operation. Psylocke, and Nightcrawler peeled Sunfire out of his restraints just in time to see Iceman's protective barriers melt away by metal hands pressed against the other side of the ice. This is where Sunfire's powers went, into a cold thinking machine that could mimic the genetic code of any mutant power encrypted into it. Their perfect weapon: a soulless metal husk filled with the extracted abilities of innocent mutants; a machine that they could control indefinitely.

"There's five of 'em!" An agent called out. "Get him in here!". 'Him' turned out to be a tall average looking soldier, that turned out not to be so average. He commanded fire from his hands, with the aid of a flame thrower, he sent a spiraling rail of fire directly through the group of young mutants. They jumped, and scattered to either side of the narrow tunnel, barely avoiding the twisting rope of fire. The enemy figured since they were dealing with ice, overwhelming the boy with fire would make quick work of him.

"Pyro?! They got mutants working for them?!" Iceman yelled, he didn't look like Pyro, but Bobby knew Pyro's powers anywhere.

"No. He's a non-mutated human! That's what they've been doing with us!" Psylocke called out, as she met every soldier that attacked her, with a jaw-breaking punch, or disabling heel-kick. The machine was melting any cover Bobby was trying to make, and the soldier tried using his stolen abilities to burn them alive. The ice was melting faster than Iceman could make it.

"Keep Sunfire behind us! We got to fight our way out! They're blocking our exit out!" Nightcrawler yelled.

"Your not going anywhere!" One of the agents yelled. Throwing some sort of smoking canister in front of Psylocke. Nightcrawler picked the smoking canister up and teleported amidst the group of agents. His intent was to drop the canister among them, and use their own weapons against them. A brave thought, a most valiant try, and though it did work, a quick agent attacked Nightcrawler, and attempted to run him through with something long and serrated, Nightcrawler would never find out exactly what it was, but he had the sense enough to teleport out before he could be overwhelmed. He teleported next to Iceman and fell to his knees, holding his side, blood pouring from the deep stab wound.

"Kurt!" Iceman yelled out. His eyes narrowed with anger, as he manifested railroad spike-sized daggers out of solid ice, and sent them into shoulders, arms, hands, weapons, and legs. A wave of commanding orders, and screams gave way to a sort of shattering 'boom' behind them, Iceman and the others had no way to know if that was a 'were in more trouble boom' or an 'X-men boom'.

"They're coming!" Psylocke called out, impressively holding her own as she helped Iceman fight the swarm of royally pissed off agents. She knew fighting a group was always better than one on one, they get cocky, they fall over each other. It was easy to throw them and make them back into one another, that made others afraid to shoot their weapons. it was working, but it wouldn't be long until they became overwhelmed.

"Who?!" Iceman called out, and he was just distracted enough to get hit in the face with the butt of a gun. Iceman groaned in pain, and saw nothing but stars as blood dripped into his eyes. He couldn't see, but a sudden wave of screaming, and a very familiar 'shink' sound kept him from panicking. It was followed up by a berserk-er attack of groans, and the sound of Cyclops' sweeping optic blast.

"Nightcrawler! Exactly .81 kilometers above you is the surface! Can you make it?" Scott knew it was asking a lot, but it was getting pretty crowded, and they were under the clock. It also wasn't helping that Scott had a subdued lunatic giggling into his back, Pyro spoke up every now and again, to remind them it was time for a game of 'footy'. John was totally oblivious to the hell that was happening around him. Scott tried to ignore him as he called out Nightcrawler's orders. Kurt held his side and lifted his head weakly, he was struggling to breath, but he looked up at Cyclops, and nodded. Now that he knew exactly where he was teleporting to, he could transport himself there. With his strength draining, Nightcrawler reached out for Sunfire, Psylocke was holding on to Sunfire at that moment, and in a "bamf" all three were gone.

"What happened?! Th-they just disappeared!" An agent yelled. "Get the other muties before they disappear too!" The commanding officer bellowed.

"Now this gettin' fun." Wolverine grinned, as he continued to hack and slash his was through the fight.

"Wo'verine! I'mb waxin' da f'oor!" Bobby called out, through a broken nose. He squinted through bloody vision, as he froze the ground under the choked hallway. The men fell everywhere, including the not so average agent with the stolen mutant fire abilities. A burst of fire up-drafted to the ceiling, covering it in a bright beautiful wave of blue and orange.

"Iceman! This way!" Cyclops jumped into one of the deep arteries of the mine that was rigged with one of those old rope pulley systems, taking a lesson from Gambit, Cyclops grabbed onto the rope, and jumped down into the ink black pit. Logan grabbed Bobby, and followed Scott into the dark abyss. As Cyclops slid down the rope, Pyro over his shoulder, he prayed the weight of the two men wouldn't break the old rope. Wolverine, with Bobby on his shoulders, sank his Adamantium claws into the thick rock, allowing them to slide down the length of the tunnel, barely making a narrow escape. In a moment there would be a flood of bullets after them.

"Kid! Plug it!" Wolverine ordered Bobby, he wasn't going to make it easy for them to follow. Iceman did as he was ordered, and filled the deep chute with solid ice as they fell down to the bottom of dark tunnel, even if they could burn through it, it would buy them some time. Logan brought them to a slow stop at the bottom of the cavern, Iceman jumped down off of Logan's shoulders. Bobby couldn't help but immediately think of his Dad, by the time Bobby was three, until he was seven, Bobby wouldn't go anywhere with his Dad unless he carried him on his shoulders.

"Ya did good kid, how's yer face?" Logan was impressed. Under pressure, in motion, in pain, and blood dripping from his nose; Bobby had come a long way since his first Danger room session.

"Busted! S'it babbed?" Bobby spoke with what sounded like a severely stuffy nose.

"Looks good on ya. Now we gotta find Rogue..." Logan sniffed the stale mine air loudly, and after a moment, let out a low deep growl.

"You locked on her?" Cyclops asked, ready to move, they were running out of time. As they spoke, those explosives were ticking away.

"No, not Rogue... Mystique." Logan said through clenched teeth. "That woman just won't give up."

"Wogue's Mob? S' here?" Bobby thought he sounded ridiculous, and decided to stop talking, but really, if Mystique was here then this was even bigger than they had originally thought, was Mystique work for them? Or posing as one of them? Or, even more baffling, was she on their side?

"C'mon, this way!" Once Logan locked on a direction, and pointed with his claws down one of the passages, and took off. Cyclops followed and, mentally asked Jean, and the Professor for a top side head count. The only team members that where in the clear were Storm, Forge, Beast, Nightcrawler, and of course Jean, and Professor X. Still in route were Shadowcat, Cannonball, Iceman, Wolverine, and himself. Currently M.I.A. were Rogue, and Gambit. Cyclops was not pleased, they were running behind schedule. Cyclops prepared himself to make some very difficult decisions once the zero hour got here, and it was fast approaching.

* * *

"Where is that heat coming from?!" Colossus asked. An intense blast of heat baked the hall like an oven.

"Where ever it come from, couldn'a come at a better time." Remy said, that sweltering temperature had come from below them, and the heat being as intense as it was, totally fried the floor, and demolished any of the security that was holding Colossus. They had jumped down several levels to avoid it, otherwise they would have been boiled alive. Gambit pointed him down toward the passage leading to the elevator shaft.

"Can you get yo'self up? Ah got others Ah gotta go back fo'" Gambit said anxious to meet up with whoever was left down here, in particular he wanted to see if Rogue had cleared the mine. He knew her team was supposed to be the first done, but luck favored those that covered all their bases.

"You are not the man I remember, Gambit. I will help you, I am well enough to fight." Colossus said. Gambit saw the mission as more of a guideline, then a plan, and it would be helpful to have a punching tank standing along side him.

"Ah could stop you, but Ah don' got time ta." Gambit said as he fanned his cards, making sure the heat did nothing to their glide.

"Of course you could, Remy. Just like old times, da?" Peter said with a smile. In just the moments he had spent with Gambit he noticed a sense of pride in his voice, even in the smug comments he said, there was a tinge of excitement, even happiness.

"Uh, huh, s'better." Gambit smirked. Wait til he saw the mansion, the grounds, the amenities, the view...oh that view. The fringe benefits of being a hero, though the pay sucked, you really couldn't argue with the cushy digs, and most importantly, exquisite company.

"Da, no Magneto." Peter said happily.

"That too." Gambit shrugged as he set his sights on their next move.

"What do you mean?" He asked, what could be better then finally being out from under Magneto's thumb?

"De company's a whole lot prettier." Gambit said, smirk solidly in place. A sudden slam loud enough to feel in your stomach, thundered below them. "...Sound like de party is dis way!"

"Lets go...Oh. Wait. Remy? You mean women, right?"

"C'mon!" Gambit called out, dashing off into one of the black passages.

"Remy! What do you mean?" Colossus sighed, even among Magneto's madness, Gambit offered casual moments of masculine conversation that Peter always enjoyed. It made him feel normal, and left him completely confused. "...Its just like old times."


	19. Vous venez de faire la liste

Carol Danvers flew to the top of the thick reinforced part of the ceiling, and tweaked the large piece of metal machinery she had just hook up. The alias of the blind woman she had on the slab was known only as 'Destiny', a mutant terrorist with the ability to see into the future. The hits just kept on coming, these mutants were certainly fascinating, but criminals with more fire-power then half of an army needed to be contained. The tests she was told to run would be just the beginning, Destiny wasn't only a mutant terrorist, she was an accomplice, and partner of the mutant villain known as Mystique. Destiny's powers needed to be studied, harbored if possible, and deactivated. Danvers approached her patient with a needle in hand.

"Its funny," She said aloud, tossing her lovely blonde hair over her shoulder, "a blind woman serving as eyes to another insane woman with a vision." Danvers spoke to the unconscious woman but something felt strangely, she knew at that moment, she wasn't alone.

"I've always appreciated a good joke." A deep male voice growled behind her. The mutant Danvers recognized from the official file she was issued, was known as 'Wolverine', and here he was standing in her lab.

"Wolverine, well, isn't this an honor?" She said calmly. "You mutants don't understand the work were doing here! I'd recommend you to leave, but I don't think your going to do that are you?"

"You must'a been the brightest in yer class, lady. Cause I got no intention of leavin' without my friend there." Mystique as 'Wolverine' popped his claws, and used them to clear a long table of all kinds of chemicals, as planned, some were explosive, and filled the lab with a deafening explosion, and a large amount of smoke.

"That's it," Mystique thought, " Lots of bells and whistles, lots of distraction, for my dear daughter to get the leg up."

"Stop you idiot! You'll cause a cave in!" Danvers flew directly at 'Wolverine' and landed a punch that caused him to sail across the room, and toward the stone mine wall. Mystique as 'Wolverine' pulled a weapon, and fired a shot over her shoulder, before she could hit wall to neutralize the impact. The weapon made an echoing slam that sounded like thunder rumbling throughout the caverns. If only Danvers had known it was Mystique, and not Wolverine, Danvers would have altered her strategy, and maybe she would have walked away from this fight.

Rogue slid into the lab unseen, and set her sights on higher ground. "High ground is the only way to deal with a flyer when you're a non-flyer." Rogue tapped into her danger room training as she scaled the lab equipment that lined the mine walls, she then jumped up on top of the large piece of machinery she had watched Danvers connect to the ceiling over Irene's unconscious body.

"Ah'm comin' Momma, ain't no one gonna hurt you if Ah can help it! Ah just wish ya didn' have such horrible choice in women." Rogue thought as she tried to make eye contact with Mystique. Back and forth they exchanged furious blows, Danvers with her unmitigated strength and flight, Mystique with finely tuned fighting skill, agility, and an amazing shot to boot. Danvers had her hands full, and was getting visibly frustrated, and sloppy because she wasn't able to land a second hit off 'Wolverine'.

'Wolverine' drew his weapon again, and shot a hole in the cavern rock right above Danvers, causing large slabs of stone to fall on top of her, Danvers simply punched them into rubble. It was both incredible, and terrifying to Rogue as she watched the battle below her. She knew if this kept up, Jean and the Professor wouldn't be able to hold everything all together. A terrifying notion, seeing as Mystique was shooting the place full of holes.

"Stop shooting you idiot! You're bringing this place down on us!" 'Wolverine' made a move for Destiny, Danvers followed, but was interrupted by a light mass jumping onto her back, and it snaked itself around her neck, to an average person it would have felt like an ultra light angora scarf. She barely noticed it at first, in all the confusion, she thought it was debris, but this was warm and squirming, and fast enough to avoiding her grasp; which bought Rogue just enough time to daze Ms. Danvers, and start draining her powers.

"What?! Get off me! Wha-what are you doing?!" Danvers was taken completely off guard, and before she had any mind to recover, Mystique shot Danvers in the stomach and chest, careful to avoid shooting her daughter. The shots blew both of them back into a stone mine wall, the wall cracked against Rogue's back. More of the ceiling began caving in on them. Mystique knew that Rogue would have drained just enough power from Danvers to not be crushed to death. Rogue heard something snap, but there was no pain, so she continued to hold on for dear life. What she didn't realize is that it was the solid stone wall that had cracked, when she slammed against it, not bones. Rogue was rapidly siphoning Danvers' immense strength.

"Don't let go Rogue! Hold her! The more mutants she's drained, the more time you MUST hold her...knock her out!" Mystique, no longer worrying if Danvers recognized her, transformed back into herself, everything was working out better than she had planned. "Yes." Mystique thought, "She'll pay for ever laying a finger on Irene, and every mutant she ever laid her hands on."

"Mystique?! Oh god! What are you doing to me!? STOP!" Danvers now realized the mutant she was fighting wasn't Wolverine at all. The warm frame around her neck was becoming stronger, and stronger, and she was becoming rapidly weaker. Danvers tried to fly upwards to throw off her attacker, but she could only make it a few feet before losing her ability to fly. It felt like she was only thinking with half her brain, it was as if she was having trouble remembering her combat training. Danvers knew she wasn't blacking out, she had blacked out before, and this felt as if she was fading away; Like she was losing her sense of self.

"Mystique! Somethings happening! Ah wanna let go!" Rogue could feel herself being infused with skill, experience, and the worst part- the moments of a life that were not her's: a loving mother, and father, a home in the suburbs, graduating from the Air Force with highest honors. Rogue felt dreadful as she took it in, she held on waiting, and waiting to break into the layers of stolen powers, it felt like an eternity. It was getting easier, and easier to take down Danvers, but the scary part was that the powers she was reprocessing felt like they were apart of Danvers herself, not other mutants. Where were the layers? When would she reach them? Something was very wrong.

"NO DON'T! She could still stop us! I almost have your Mother!" Rogue tightened her grip on Danvers at Mystique's command, for the sake of Irene getting away safely, she continued to cling. She was also too afraid of Danvers' retaliation to let go.

"HURRY! Something's wrong!" Rogue pleaded, she felt herself being hit in the head by large rocks, but they didn't hurt. The screaming in her head made Rogue feel as if though her brain was splitting, Carol Danvers' very being was pressing on the inside of Rogue's body, she felt like she was being crushed to death from the inside. Now she was sure, these weren't stolen mutant powers, Carol Danvers was a human with acquired powers! These powers were attained by things Rogue couldn't understand, but she was positive now that she wasn't taking stolen powers that were stolen by Danvers, she was just murdering her! Rogue was forcibly reaping every bit of Danvers' essence from its shell, ripping her soul out by the roots. Two minds clashed in the same body, in a loud whipping tidal wave, two lives slammed together with unrelenting force, a hurricane centralized to one body, tearing and screaming. Then at the very peak of it all, everything stopped for both of them, they both went deaf, the rumbling thunder of the mine, and falling rock went silent, they had neutralized each other. Like flipping a light switch, everything went off.

Mystique unlatched Destiny from the slab, taking her time, "I have you now, darling, everything is going to be okay. Our little girl is here, and Danvers is no longer a problem." Mystique looked behind her, her daughter was a crumpled mass lying next to Danvers' empty body. Just like Mystique had planned. What she didn't plan on was the crumbling two ton mass of metal about to break free from the ceiling. Mystique took Irene into her arms just as the ceiling began to fall apart. They're entrance was blocked, the heavy piece of machinery above them cracked, and fell, threatening to crush both women. Mystique covered Irene with her body, but nothing ever happened. Mystique opened her eyes, and above them stood a large man, made of shining metal, holding up the enormous heavy structure effortlessly, and next to him was the real Wolverine.

"So its you makin' all the noise!" Logan said, as he pulled Mystique to her feet. She clung tightly to Irene, eyes searching the crumbling lab for Rogue, but she was no longer laying next to Danvers, she had suddenly disappeared. Mystique began to panic, she felt as though her luck was running out. She didn't think the X-men would make it down here so fast.

"Get us out of here! She's hurt!" Mystique called out. The longer she didn't see Rogue, the more she began to panic.

"Not til we find Rogue!" Wolverine demanded. By 'us' Mystique meant Rogue too, but explaining that to this animal, was pointless. He would never understand how she managed her family.

"Ah got her!" Gambit yelled, Rogue's eyes were open, and completely vacant, but otherwise seemed miraculously unharmed. Mystique glared at the tall, crimson eyed young man who held her daughter. She knew him slightly from somewhere, but his name escaped her. Mystique never thought anything of him before, but something in the way he held Rogue made Mystique distrust him; and the way the young man was looking at her daughter made Mystique want to bludgeon him to death, and make use of her good shovel. Now, however, wasn't the time to play protective mother.

"Is she breathin'?" Logan yelled ushering everyone out toward the mine elevator.

" Yeah, but...Ah need Kitty! Kitty! Where is dat girl?! Gambit called out. There was another woman of the ground, also out cold, and bleeding badly.

"Right here! Don't need to yell!" Kitty emerged from the wall behind him. She gasped when she saw Rogue. Gambit carefully closed her eyelids with his gloved fingertips. Its like the lights were on, but everyone was too busy to answer the door.

"Can you take de lab tech up ta de surface? She hurt real bad, Ah don' wanna move her!" Remy had no idea what happened to the woman, but he knew Shadowcat was her best bet outta here without further injuring herself.

"Got her!" Kitty called out 'air-walking' to the surface. Kitty tried to focus on her rescue, but she was terrified. What happened? Most importantly, was Rogue going to be okay?

"Move out everyone!" Jean voice whispered, she was under great mental strain, trying to keep an entire mine from collapsing in on itself, and keeping track of any stray presences that hadn't deserted the mine. Once the explosions blew, there was little chance anyone could help them. "The Professor, and I aren't going to be able hold this place up for very long! Head for the elevator shaft, Cannonball will give you a lift!" Jean mentally called out to every X-man she could reach.

"You heard the lady people! This way!" Cyclops carefully cleared a path in the direction of the elevator shaft. The cave crumbled all around them as they raced to the elevator. It was like non stop thunder beating against your eardrums.

"What the heck are you doin' here anyway?!" Wolverine barked at Mystique. He immediately blamed Mystique for whatever happened to Rogue. Heaven help the shape shifting witch if anything happened to that girl. Logan hadn't inspected Rogue closely yet but, he had to be okay for the moment knowing she was breathing, and on the way out.

"Same as you, saving someone!" Mystique barked back, holding Irene closely. She intently watched the young man holding her daughter, with his long brown hair, and his crimson eyes. Mystique hated him immediately. He was nimbly avoiding falling rock, and splitting floors, as he held on to her precious girl. Mystique had planned on taking out Danvers, then using the collapsing mine as a distraction to steal away with Irene and Rogue. She hadn't counted on, was being surrounded by X-men, or on Rogue going comatose (that had never happened before) and she certainly didn't count on some shifty young criminal all over her child.

"Sam! Get that elevator moving!" Cyclops ordered. They had finally reached the elevator, and Sam was hard at work, walloping the thing with a crowbar.

"I'd love ta! But all that shakin' n' smashin' jammed the elevator! This thing ain't goin' nowhere!" Cannonball yelled back, as he took another baseball bat swing with crowbar to get the jammed lift moving. "Oh, ferget this! Everyone on now!" Everyone obediently jumped up onto the platform. Since when did this shy Kentucky boy learn to bark like a drill Sargent? They had no idea what Sam was planning, but they were running low on options. Sam began wedging himself under the small space under the platform.

"You better know what your doing, Sam!" Cyclops called out.

"Either Ah do, er' Ah don't, n' inna minute, ya won't care!" Cannonball yelled from underneath them. A sound that wasn't the collapsing mine, began vibrating under their feet. Cannonball was about to do his thing, with a pretty decrepit elevator, that was way over its weight capacity, and ready to shatter under the nearly NASA quality thrust that Cannonball was about to put under it.

"Ah t'ink Ah'll have some pretty strong opinions either way!" Gambit called out to Cannonball, as he held Rogue tightly in his arms. He was also very aware of Mystique burning a hole into his face. Remy was certainly not even fit to touch her daughter, as far as she was concerned. Mystique felt the need to shoved him into the shaft wall rushing passed them, had Forge's explosive finale not knocked her to her knees. The blast was positioned to push up through all the levels of the mine, and engulf the enormous space in a rather impressive explosion. Forge really out-did himself on the 'boom'.

"Cannonball! Brace yourself!" Cyclops yelled, he knew that the C-4 set to blow, would push up into the mine shaft, and possibly incinerate Sam alive. As planned, the explosion made its way into the mine shaft, pressing Cannonball against the metal platform with such tremendous pressure an imprint of Cannonball's arm pressed into the elevator floor, breaking it indefinitely. The crushing force of the additional pressure accelerated the elevator's ascension. Sam never screamed, or made any kind of sound, Cyclops felt his heart drop. There was no way to tell if he was alive or not, or if the thrust propelling them to the surface was Sam, the explosion, or both.

"Sam!" Wolverine called out, ready to cut out a hole in the platform to get to him, but before Logan could, they had reached the surface. Everyone jumped and scattered all around the opening of the shaft. Cannonball continued to jettison the platform a good forty feet into the night sky before letting the slab of metal fall to the wayside, then dropping out of the air himself, completely spent. Sam was in excellent hands though, the very moment Cannonball powered down, and blacked out, Storm swooped under him, and took the thin, lanky hero into her loving arms.

"He is secured, Cyclops! He is alive!" Storm called down to her teammates joyfully. Sam's eyes snapped open against the cool night air.

"S-storm? Mah arm..? Is it still there?" Sam asked not wanting to look. Sam's uncle William had lost a leg in a mine explosion, and was in such shock, that he didn't realize it until he tried to stand. William screamed for hours, before going into fatal convulsions. Sam vowed if he lost a limb, that would not be his fate, he was going to stay calm, just like his Dad had taught him.

"It is broken, but you are in one piece, rest now. You are the reason many of us are alive." Storm smiled at him, exhaling with relief.

"Yes Ma'am. Thank yo-" Sam, polite to the very end, seemed to almost be waiting for permission to pass out. On the ground, more drama was developing as everyone trudged out of the war zone, and to the waiting Blackbird.

"What did you do, Mystique?!" Logan demanded approaching her, claws out.

"I made my daughter more powerful than she ever thought she could be!" Mystique protested drawing her weapon at the injured group, Irene slumped against her, slowly coming to around to consciousness once she felt the cold fresh air against her face.

"Let me guess, fo' her own good, or yer's?!" Gambit demanded. He was absolutely right, but Mystique didn't see it that way. She saw it as gifting her child with incredible power, in Mystique's own twisted mind, this was her way of protecting Rogue. So what if Mystique had been planning on taking down Danvers from the start? This killing two birds with one stone scenario, just 'happened' to work out. Logan, and Gambit saw through it, of course, Rogue was a possession to Mystique, a possession that she just up graded to do whatever dirty work she, or Irene couldn't. Mystique would lie to herself, convince herself, and Irene that she did it all to for their dear daughter's benefit.

"I don't expect any of you pathetic fools to understand what I've done for my daughter! Soon she'll realize it, and she'll come to me on her own, and accept that the only real home she has is with me, and her mother!" Mystique proclaimed.

"Bracque! Yo' make the misere fo' yo' daughter! N' try ta act like some Defante mother?!" Gambit was so beside himself with anger, that he could barely keep to one language. This was pressing some pretty serious buttons for him. His father would do this to him all the time, always trying to convince Remy that he was doing things exclusively for his well being, when he was actually just trying to do well by himself, and only himself. He never gave a second thought to how it would affect, and ultimately ruin his son's life.

"I don't have to answer to the likes of you!" Mystique snapped at Gambit. "But me, and you do have business! But not this, and not now!" She threatened, Mystique slowly backed away, weapon in hand. Gambit wanted so badly to attack, but Rogue had been through enough, and since he had no idea what was wrong with her, he wanted to get her medical attention more than revenge.

"Soon Mystique." Logan threatened back, he knew as well as she did, that they had their injured to look after, but this fight was certainly not over. Mystique had made new enemies today, and solidified her place on a number of lists.

"Get boarded now, people!" Cyclops ordered, the weight of the evacuated army was about to bear down on them once they spotted the plane.

"We're set up to take anyone that's hurt! Move it guys!" Jean begged. Wolverine and Gambit looked at each other, both men were felt the same way. They wanted to go after Mystique, and maybe even some of that army, but they would get their shot soon enough, and quickly, they boarded the plane. Storm flew along side of the Blackbird, as she conjured black storm clouds to cloak the plane, and used down pouring rain to put out the flames of the burning mine. The smoke from the extinguishing flames was so thick, that no one ever noticed a plane taking off.

* * *

Everyone that didn't fall into their seat, exhausted, searched the plane to make their own head counts. It was hard not to be totally amazed when everyone came back from a mission, you always think the worse until you can see everyone with your own two eyes. Kurt was being stabilized by the Professor the moment he had gotten to the surface with Psylocke and Sunfire. He had a punctured lung, and was fighting unconsciousness.

"Kurt, buddy, can yo' hear me?" Bobby asked. Beast had set his nose, and with a quick snap, Bobby was breathing and sounding a lot better.

"I'm...stabbed..not deaf." Kurt weakly smiled at the sound of Bobby's voice, not to mention the look of it.

"We'll be home-b soon, you were awesome!" Bobby smiled back, even though smiling was excruciating. "Everyone's here, everyone made-b it out ogay."

"Did she...do that?" Kurt was looking at Bobby's busted nose and blackening eyes.

Bobby laughed, he knew Kurt meant Psylocke. " Naw, bud she could if she wanted to. One of dose creeps cracked me in da bridge wit a gun butt. I 'ink it'll look babb-ass by 'morrow."

"Rogue?"

"She's on board, and bre-fing jus' fine, n der isn't a scratch on 'er, but she's out cold. Some-b sort of fight wit one of dose science-type people, we'll know-b more once we get 'er home. Rest up, dude-b." Iceman smiled again as he watched Nightcrawler drift off. At the other end of the plane Beast used his fingers to delicately inspect Rogue's eye to see if they would dilate. She seamed perfectly healthy, but she wasn't responding to anything.

"Is it a coma?" Gambit pressed his back against the cold metal of the Blackbird, and watched earnestly, waiting for some development.

"That's what it looks like, but I won't know, for sure, until we get her back." Beast said.

"Let me try scanning her over, maybe I can slow walk her out of it." Jean knelt to Rogue, she gentility began to probe Rogue's mind. It was as if Jean opened a door into a room engulfed in unmitigated chaos of screaming, fighting, confusion, and unrestricted power. Jean was blown back, as she felt someone ran through that door slamming into her, a presence charged out with such force Jean landed flat on her back. The next time Jean opened her eyes, Beast was yelling, and Rogue was screaming with someone else's voice. Jean had opened that door, but she hadn't expected anyone other than Rogue to be behind it.

"WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?! WHERE AM I?!" Rogue screamed terrified, and hysterical. She was transitioning but this wasn't an ordinary transition this_ was_ Carol Danvers, and she never finished her fight with Mystique or Rogue. Beast attempted to hold her down, and even though Beast had exceptional strength, Rogue effortlessly stiff-armed him across the span of the plane. That begged the obvious question: who, or what was Carol Danvers?

"WHERE IS RAVEN DARKHÖLME?!" Danvers demanded, though the environment had changed, Danvers had never stopped her fight with Rogue. They had been going at it the whole time inside Rogue's mind, and from the sounds of it, Rogue wasn't winning.

"She isn't here, and no one is trying to attack you. We can help-" Cyclops was trying to talk Danvers down, if she punched a hole in the hull of the plane they'd have a whole new set of problems. Even though Rogue was his friend, he had a plane full of wounded teammates to worry about, and wasn't above taking her down by force.

"I'M NOT TALKING TO YOU KID! BY ORDER OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT: OPEN THAT BAY! I'M GETTING OFF!" She demanded, her eyes darting from side to side, and finally locking on a body, she froze in total shock. It was as if the room went black, and empty, and there was a spot light on the motionless body with a very familiar color of blonde hair. She was looking at herself, it was her own body laying lifeless on a soft cot, but she knew she wasn't dead, hopeless tears poured from her eyes, as if she were witnessing the death of a loved one. She was so disoriented, and traumatized that she was unaware of the massive metal gentleman about to grab her.

"I am sorry Miss, but that would not be wise." Colossus held her, and at first she did nothing. She just stared at the female lab technician laying down toward the back of the plane, she seamed to be in a trance . Perhaps she knew the woman, Colossus thought. Danvers then looked into the reflective surface of Peter's steel flesh, the person looking back as her was a complete stranger. It was a young girl; a crushing terror set into a heart that didn't belong her, and Danvers understandably, lost her mind.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?! WHAT DID YOU DO?! THIS ISN'T ME! ITS NOT ME! THAT'S NOT ME! YOU TOOK MY LIFE!" Danvers quickly realized her own living death, Colossus in an incredible display of strength, held her arms down, and away from himself. He was shocked, compared to him, she was so much smaller, but he needed to work quite hard to keep her still. She was uncontrollably hysterical, and her struggling was tilting the plane. Jean rushed over with a type of vaporizer, and gave her a small puff of a type of gaseous chloroform. She barely noticed as she continued to mourn the loss of her life. "WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST KILL ME?! WHY THIS?! I CAN'T LIVE THIS WAY! I CAN'T! I CAN'T! I CAN'T! I CA-...I can't...for the love of god...kill me...ugh..." She then became limp in Peter's arms. He was very relieved, much longer, and she would have broken from his grip. Everyone looked to the Professor for some sort of answer. Only the sound of the Blackbird's engine could be heard. They had just witnessed the ugliest part of Rogue's mutant ability.

"Uh, Professor? Any ideas?" Cyclops asked.

"Only one: Finding out who this woman is, and doing everything we can to preserve Rogue and her mind." The Professor said somberly.

* * *

_Bracque- _Crazy

_Make the misere-_ To make trouble, or make misery for someone.

_Defante- _A sainted woman; a sainted dead woman. (Not Mystique)


	20. Mais, nous n'avons pas une grange

Gambit sat vigilant at Rogue's bed side for reasons he wasn't entirely sure about. What he was sure about was that he need to see Rogue eyes open, he didn't want to see his garnet, or any other color except her own vibrant green. Bobby and Sam had walked passed the infirmary doorway several times, Sam with his arm in a cast, and sling, and Bobby with stitches across the bridge of his nose. Watching, and waiting for their teammates to wake up. A couple beds down from Rogue was Kurt, rhythmical breathing with the help of a respirator. Across the room, Shadowcat was practising her basic nursing skills by giving Peter a bag of saline, but first she needed to get the I.V. in.

"I am not much for needles...are you certain you know what you are doing?" Peter watched this petite girl disinfect his arm with the intention of injecting his vein with a very long needle. Kitty rolled her eyes at his protest, "The guy doesn't break a sweat under Magneto, or Apocalypse, but he pees himself over a needle?" Kitty thought.

"Yeah, well, I've seen it done a bunch, and I'm a fast learner! Here we go!" Kitty didn't mean to but, she closed her eyes as she stuck him. When she opened her eyes the needle had broken, and she was touching a cold metal arm. "You armored up!" Kitty snapped, insulted.

"You close your eyes!" Peter rebuffed almost smiling, but he didn't dare laugh, she was mad enough.

"I had it!" Kitty protested.

"How would you know, if you did not look?" Peter foolishly said, actually thinking logic and reason would help the situation. He didn't expect her to get more upset, and to his horror she picked up another needle.

"Well I'm lookin' now! Change back!" She demanded, needle in hand, and the other hand balled into a fist.

"Uh, why not wait...for a time you are not so excited?" Peter suggested, "Or maybe we can find someone that is more experienced?" Strike two.

Gambit had been watching this little comedy from across the room, and winced. "Ooo, wha' you gonna do as a'encore, Pete? Ask her if she gain weight?" He thought, trying to not smile at Kitty's delicate little face grow into a hot red frown. It was possibly the cutest thing he had ever seen.

"I am not 'excited'! And I KNOW what I'm doing! Flesh! Now!" Kitty commanded stomping her foot in frustration. Gambit muffled a single uncontrollable snort of laughter, covering a smile with his fist, he hoped they didn't hear him. This was too funny to interrupt. Peter, unwittingly, continued to innocently fan Kitty's anger.

"I apologize but...I can not." Colossus didn't want to disappoint her after everything the X-men had done, but from his viewpoint that needle had to be a factory defect, or something, because it was way long, like it had to be way longer then a regular needle.

"Seriously? Why?!" Kitty protested, she was convinced he had to be doing this on purpose. She just got done participating in a successful mission that was both highly dangerous, and required some major mutant finesse. Putting in an I.V. was well within her capabilities, he was just being a big baby, and she wasn't leaving until he was good and injected.

"Well, it is not that you are not, um, capable, but...but I can not control it when-" Peter painfully scrambled to come up with an answer that wouldn't offend the girl, but he was beginning to realize no such answer existed.

"Don't give me 'control', you gotta be doing this on purpose! Soften up NOW! We're doing this!" Kitty was just as clueless as Peter as to how badly this could be interpreted. Remy was dying, trying to contain himself, but he just couldn't hold it any longer, and released a throaty chuckle. Kitty's pony-tail whipped around as she shot Gambit a death stare.

"And what's yer problem, bayou boy?!" Kitty hollered already irrationally enraged.

"If he can't, den he can't, Peeshwank. Can't go makin' biological demands on a man like dat. It hurts our feelin's. Maybe if ya give him a minute..." Gambit said, unable to hide the truly menacing smile on his face. Peter didn't really understand euphemism, Kitty on the other hand did, and nearly threw a blood pressure cuff at him, and walked off. She would have made Gambit eat his stupid joke if she wasn't worried about disturbing her other teammates.

"I'll be back Peter!" Kitty warned, grumbling in Gambit's direction. Remy continued to milk the hilarity of the joke as long as possible, he was desperate to laugh and smile again. Rogue's situation was disturbing him more then he was letting on.

"Feisty 'lil t'ing, non?" Gambit laughed. Peter, still generally confused, agreed.

"What did I do?"

"Men been askin' dat since de beginnin', reguardin' angry women. Answer seems ta be 'we do everyt'ing'." Gambit sighed.

"But I did nothing." Peter said innocently, and scratched his head.

"Careful Pete, dat's when we do it de most." Gambit knew he was leaving Peter more confused, but right now, so was he. He racked his brain trying to figure out why he found himself so consumed with this girl. Why did he feel so enamored with her, anyway? It had all started with Rogue, the same way it would with any pretty girl, or woman that he had some sort connection with. There would be some flirting back and forth, then some 'hard to get', or 'easy to get', depending on his mood. A display of feelings, of which, weren't usually genuine. Sure it wouldn't earn you any points in heaven, but everyone loves a prince charming, not a prince virtuous. It was a fun game, occasionally followed by an night of even more fun. Sometimes it was even followed by a short exciting relationship, consisting of a few dates. This 'problem' with Rogue was driving up the wall. He swore he had seen prettier girls then her, but none came to mind. He was sure he had met more memorable women than Rogue, but he tried, and couldn't remember any. This was starting to get ridiculous. Every time he got up to leave Rogue's side, he found himself rushing to get through whatever he was doing, so he quickly get back to her. He convinced himself it had to be his addictive personality, normally he would have 'closed the deal' with Rogue by now, but since couldn't, he was fixated. That had to be it, unattainable sex, but just being around her, holding her, was, in itself, pretty gratifying. The whole thing just gave him a headache. He was about to go over it for about the hundredth time before the Professor, Beast, and Logan entered the room.

"Remy, how long have you been here?" Professor Xavier ask, he was somewhat surprised that Gambit was in the exact place they left him when they first brought Rogue to the infirmary. Beast was taking Rogue's vitals before the Professor made his mental assessment of her. Logan could have answered the Professor's question, he had been watching both Rogue and Gambit, but keeping his distance. As valiant as Gambit seemed he still didn't trust the guy.

"No clue, wha' time is it?" Remy said, rubbing his eyes.

"Late. Go ahead and rest." The Professor offered, he wanted to encourage Remy feelings for Rogue, he believed that it would aid in his reformation, and just as importantly, Rogue's happiness and mental well-being.

"I'd like ta stay." Remy said not looking anyone in the eye, it almost as if he was embarrassed to say it.

"We need to run a mental assessment on Rogue, it will require a bit of concentration on my part. Please, you and Peter, at least go have something to eat, I won't be more than an hour." The Professor promised, he found Remy's diligence to Rogue endearing.

"An hour?" Gambit sighed, and stood up. "Ah'll be back inna hour den." As he walked out of the room in search for the kitchen. Peter respectfully dismissed himself, following Remy. Beast and the Professor exchanged looks and a small smile.

"Well, he's got it bad." Beast joked.

"Well, he better keep it ta himself." Logan said, not joking at all.

Colossus walked along side Remy, and noticed his grim disposition, when only a moment ago he had been smiling. Obvious to Peter, that being asked to leave the room had bothered Remy very much.

"What will they do to her?"

"Wha' dey t'ink dey have ta, Ah s'pose." He was trying to sound as disconnected as possible. Remy was doing all he could to not think about it, he had a tendency to go to the worst case scenario.

"Do you worry?"

"We all worry." Gambit said frankly, artfully trying to dodge any attempted conversation.

"About Rogue I mean."

"Look who it is, Pete. Yo' Gaienne. " Quickly he spotted Kitty, and she once again with that look on her face, and was stomping toward them, "Can't 'magine she lookin' fer me. Good luck, hommé." Remy smiled, and gave him a quick slap on the back.

"Remy...uh, y-you do not need to leave just now, you know?"

"Nuh-uh, if Ah stay, den you won' learn anythin'. B'sides Ah got me a kitchen ta find." Remy smiled warmly. Kitty's timing was wonderful, maybe Peter would be just fine if she got another shot at that I.V.. Maybe. Peter took a deep breath and braced himself, he forced a smile and tried not to look nervous.

"Hello again." Peter said, trying to sound as pleasant as possible.

"Yeah, hi. C'mon big guy, I got your room assignment." Kitty grumbled as she shot the evil eye at Gambit until he rounded the corner.

"Oh, are you sure you did not want to...um, try the needle again?" Peter held a trembling smile on his face, as he winced at his own words.

"Is that what you really wanted to ask me?" Kitty smiled a bit, with a hand on her hip, "Aww, your really trying not to get yelled at." She thought.

"Of course, I am sure you will have no issue...very capable." His weak smile was terribly transparent. Kitty dropped her attitude, this little display of forced bravery for her sake was flattering.

"Its okay, its getting late, let's just get you settled in." She was really just mad at Gambit anyway, no reason to take it out on the new guy.

"No needle? Well, okay, if that is how you would like it." His face lighting up was so obvious, Kitty giggled. Such a big goofy smile on such a big guy was almost ridiculous.

"Follow me." Kitty said as she smiled and rolled her eyes.

"I apologize for Remy's words. His behavior is because of difficult feelings." Peter was using all of the English he knew to keep Kitty smiling, she was kinda scary when she was upset.

"Oh...okay, thanks, " She certainly wasn't expecting that. For a guy that was capable of taking down a building with a thumb and forefinger, he was oddly sensitive. She hadn't expected Peter's manners, his sweetness surprised her. "I know he's your close friend and all, but he just makes me uncomfortable. Maybe it would be better if he just left this place." Kitty said thinking out loud, in reality she was still angry about Gambit's stupid perverted joke. She would have backed Kurt wholeheartedly in wanting Gambit out, but she had seen what he brought out in Rogue. She couldn't totally share in Kurt's point of view, but it was still pretty difficult to be comfortable around the guy. Colossus thought for a moment about what Kitty had said, as he followed her up the elevator to the lobby floor.

"I would not go as far to say he is a good friend, but I would not say that it would be good for him to go." Colossus said.

"So what would you say?"

"How do you say when you take two things side by side, and show how they are the same?" Colossus hated struggling with his English in front of new people, but Kitty was happy to help.

Like to 'compare' something?"

"Yes. I compare Remy to Zorkij, my uncle's dog."

"How sweet of you. Why?" Kitty asked smirking.

"Zorkij, mother was dog, father was wolf. Only my uncle likes him, he only one that plays, and hunts with Zorkji. He surprise us when he pull my small cousin from burning house, saves her life, so we forget he was wild animal. We were too trusting of Zorkij, and he attacked my uncle, because he tries to discipline like normal dog. He bite into my uncle's throat, he lives, but can no longer speak. We need to find a good...uh equal?..." Peter tried to think of the right word, and with his hands made the universal symbol for 'balanced'.

"Balance?" Kitty offered.

"Yes, thank you. We need to balance with Remy, maybe not to forget he is wild, but very capable to do good."

"I guess your right, and he has surprised me." Kitty smiled, how very profound. "So, what happened to Zorkij?"

"We shoot, bury in back of farm."

"Huh...well there's an option." Kitty mumbled, and quickly asked her next question " So what do you think you're going to do now that you're safe?" She asked, he seemed harmless enough, despite that whole Zorkij story. Colossus didn't give her a shady vibe like Remy, but he was right about one thing, Peter didn't seem like the type to work under Magneto at all. It then dawned on Kitty that Gambit might have told the truth about Magneto black mailing Colossus into working for him.

"If there is anything I am sure of, it is that mutants are never safe. I missed my family in Russia, and I tried to return to them once Magneto was no longer. The moment I set foot in Russia, they took me. They had been watching me from the time I had been working with Magneto. My sister wrote me letter, telling of men coming to our farm looking for me, and that my family were to report me as soon as I contacted them. If they did not report my position, the government would seize our property."

"That's awful! Why don't we go get them? Ya know, rescue them, bring them here? It's not like we don't have the room!" Kitty said excitedly, saving people and being a hero was a fantastic feeling, she was jumping at whatever chance she could now to rescue people. This made Colossus smile, her bright flashing eyes revealed an enthusiasm to do good, despite the danger, and that Colossus was technically still a stranger.

"That would not be necessary, but thank you, that is very kind. My mama and papa would never leave the farm, if they did, the land is considered forfeit, but perhaps my sister would. There would be much opportunity for her here in the states."

"Yeah! I could totally show her around, does she speak English? Is she my age?" Kitty loved this idea.

"A bit, yes. Lllyana is a fast learner, like you. She will be thirteen very soon. I think she would like you very much." Peter smiled at Kitty's willingness to jump at the chance to help his family.

"Lllyana that's a pretty name. Speaking of names, I really only know you as 'Colossus', and I'm pretty sure that isn't Russian, or your name."

"My name is Piotr Nikolaievich Rasputin."

"Yeah, I can't say that."

"Remy, calls me 'Peter' or 'Pete'. If that is more comfortable, then 'big guy', please feel free to use."

"Aww, you're willing to change your whole name for me?" Kitty giggled," Well, how about this: what's Catherine, or Kitty in Russian?"

"A close informal translation is 'Katya'."

"Katya? Okay, Katya I like that. I'll English you Peter, you Russian me Katya."

"Okay." Peter laughed, as Kitty opened the door to Peter's the room. "This room is beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it, two doors down is Remy's room. How about I show you around tomorrow after breakfast!" Kitty offered excitedly.

"Y-yes! Yes. I would like that very much..." Peter sounded way more excited then he meant to , but Kitty's excitement was infectious. "... but I do not know, if I am staying here."

"Wait til I show you around, then you can decide. You might not know it yet, this place is hard work, but it really rocks!"

"Okay, well that, I can not argue." He certainly couldn't, he was no stranger to hard work but, had no idea what 'really rocks' was exactly, though it sounded great.

"Bed clothes are in the top drawer, everyone gets up around six. I'll come by here about six fifteen, take you down to breakfast?"

"Wonderful, thank you!"

"G'night, Peter!"

"Goodnight Katya." Once the door closed, Peter sighed deeply, and reclined on the large comfortable bed. "...Katya." he smiled to himself. Peter liked Kitty, she was... sweet. Sweet seemed out-of-place in this world, sweet was rare and quickly swallowed up by the violence and hatred of their cause. Kitty, however, had an obvious strength that stemmed from an inability to accept how horrible failure felt, and an unwavering positive attitude. He was excited for tomorrow to come. Whether he knew it or not, he had just decided to stay, and become an X-man.

* * *

hommé- man

Peeshwank- Cajun word for little girl, runt (female)

Gaienne- Cajun slang for girlfriend

Zorkji- typical Russian dog name, meaning 'sharp-sighted'


	21. manscaping: extensive male grooming

Remy, after searching corridor after corridor, finally found the kitchen, and was immediately in awe. This place was a stainless steel palace! The gourmet in Remy practically had a heart attack. There were several types of ovens, sixteen plus adjustable ranges, a number of appliances for just about everything, cook wear for nearly every type of food, from poaching, to baking, frying, steaming, smoking, even a rotisserie . His jaw dropped when he opened the walk-in closet sized glass sun room strictly for growing fresh herbs, and spices.

"Dit mon la verite'..."

"Hello?" A voice behind him asked. Behind him stood Bobby and Sam, in search for food.

"Oh 'lo Sam, n'...?" Bobby's name was escaping him for the moment. To Remy he was just the boy-who-made-the-ice.

"I'm Bobby at home, Iceman in the field." Bobby said searching cabinets.

"Right. Ah was jus' lookin' at dis garden s'...unbelievable."

"Which one?" Bobby asked through a mouthful of something or other.

"Wha' you mean 'which one'? There's mo' den one?" Remy asked astounded

" Yes, sir, the herb, 'er the fruit, n' veggie ones are just outside." Sam pointed to the glass patio doors, where you could see rows and rows of fresh food, almost ready to be picked. Remy was suddenly a little more okay with not being paid for his services as an X-man. Did they even know how good they had it?

"Yeah, Storm does all that stuff for us." Bobby added.

"You guys 'er so spoiled..."

"Am not, I don't even eat that stuff, maybe the fruit, but no one really cooks."

"Ça doit être un putain de mensonge..." Remy muttered, not thinking about how rude he was being.

"What?" Bobby asked before shoveling another cookie in this mouth.

"Ah mean, yer jokin' no one cooks?" Gambit asked is disbelief, eyeing the four steel double-door refrigerators. Each exclusively used for a specific food group meat, dairy, produce, and a drink/condiment fridge. Sam shrugged at spoke up first.

"Well, Kitty tries."

"And fails."

Sam gave Bobby a look, "She means well, but Logan's just a grill n'stew kinda guy. Jean n' Dr. McCoy usually make stuff, 'er it all gets delivered, but Ah don't think that's gonna happen anymore. Now that everyone knows we're mutant-high." Sam knew how to hunt, fish, and trap, but cooking anything he caught wasn't a skill he never really learned.

"Yeah, and we're running low on the important stuff too." Bobby added, annoyed.

"Time ta go make groceries, huh? Dat's disappointin'." Gambit said, he was really looking forward to taking this kitchen out for a test drive, he craved a good distraction. Bobby busied himself in a large freezer chest looking for an equal substitute to pizza. Remy opened the 'meat' fridge, and nearly called Bobby over for a punch in the face. The 'important stuff' was right here, this fridge was filled to the brim with seafood, every kind of red meat, or white meat you could want, possibly unicorn for all he knew. "Y'all not runnin' outta nothin'! Lookit all a'dis!"

"Oh yeah, well that stuff sure, there's always that stuff." Bobby said, head deep into the freezer, "I meant like easy stuff like hot pockets, fish sticks, pizz-"

"Finish dat word n'ah'll re-break yer nose." Remy seriously considered pushing him into the freezer, and locking him in for the night.

"What'd I do?" Bobby said, still head-deep in the freezer.

"Ya got all a'dis, n' you use it ta microwave ol' pizza?! Y'know wha'? Get out! Les gars, vous ne savez rien! Go!" Remy ordered, pulling meat from the fridge, and several pans.

"But we're hungry! And we live here too y'know!" Bobby protested.

"Next half hour dis be mah room! Come back den! Ah'm endin' dis whole frozen pizza nonsense wit' actual food." Gambit was on a mission to distract himself from feelings. Frying meat, and caramelizing onions was way easier to do than to dealing with his many life-shattering issues.

"You cook?" Bobby asked in disbelief.

"Half hour, den ya can have yer damn pizza if ya still wan' it." Remy threatened, he would force good food down these kids' throats, before he could think about Rogue one more time.

"What can you do that'll be better then raising crust?" Bobby stubbornly protested.

"Out, p'tit boug!" Remy slightly charged card, and threw it at the Bobby's feet, it sounded like a small fire cracker.

"Ah!" Bobby yelped, as he jumped out of room. Sam looked at Remy, shrugged and followed Bobby, "Can't you believe that jerk?!" Bobby fumed. He had been thrown out of the kitchen before, but never had explosives thrown at him, and never before without food.

"Ah dunno, Ah think Ah could use a break from all a'that frozen stuff. N'he is cookin' somethin' fer all o'us. That's right kind a'him." Sam turned to look at Bobby, who was frowning at him "What?!"

"Kind? That man-scaper?! And did you hear what he called me?" Bobby declared, no food and insulted. Talk about adding insult to injury.

"He said ta come back inna bit an' he'll have somethin'. N' no, what did he call you anyway?"

"I dunno, but whatever he makes, better be good."

* * *

"You sure about this, Chuck?"

"I am. Everything is well under my control. Beast go ahead." The Professor said. Beast nodded, and placed a vaporizing mask over Rogue nose and mouth. Beast attempted an injection several times before giving up, needles would just bend and break against her skin. Maybe it was time to invest in some Adamantium needles. Logan watched Rogue breath in the chemical mist, it seamed to take hours.

"I'll only be a moment" The Professor closed his eyes, and he allowed himself to fall forward through a sort of atmosphere, and down to the cement-hard ground of Rogue's subconscious. In front of him was a steel gate covered in vines, carefully he opened the metal filigree doors of Rogue's mind; the injection was doing its magic. Instead of charging out of the door, like last time Jean opened it, Danvers' essence poured out slowly like soft white smoke. Using his incredible mental control he coasted Danvers out to the forefront into Rogue's subconsciousness. He then allowed Danvers to take the lead in developing the environment around them, and slowly it became an army base, and barracks. The Professor calmly, and effortlessly projected himself an aura a commanding officer, he waded his way through Danvers' military atmosphere to find Rogue. Where else would Danvers put Rogue on a military base, other than the brig? He mentally shattered Danvers' illusion of a lock, to enter her illusion of a brig. Huddled in one of blaring white corners, covering her face, was Rogue. She was desperately trying to keep from going blind by the intense white lights that hung above her. With a mere squinting of his eyes, the Professor dimmed the burning white lights. Rogue slowly and cautiously opened her eyes, and tried to focus on the tall dark shape in front of her.

"Hello my dear." The Professor spoke gently, and offered Rogue his hand.

"Professor!" Rogue sprang up to meet him, the Professor opened his arms, and held her. It was so strange to Rogue, to see the Professor walking, she never realized how tall he was. She was so happy to see him, and that everything had finally stopped, that she began crying. Being hugged by the Professor, was like air to a drowning person, the relief was overwhelming.

"Its okay now, Rogue. I'll take care of subduing Danvers. is stabilizing you, but help me understand, first. How did you find Danvers? What did Mystique have to do with it all?" The Professor spoke softly, and reassuringly, his heart broke for her, he knew that in the last 48 hours she had only been attacked, betrayed, used, and now altered greatly, and perhaps forever.

"Mystique said she had been working in the lab as this young Asian guy, a Dr. or M.D. 'Ng' I think. She told me Danvers was her superior, and wasn't able ta get mah mom out the quiet way, and since she couldn't handle Danvers on her own, she told me ta help her take care of this woman ...Ah...Ah agreed." Rogue dropped her head, ashamed and embarrassed. The Professor squeezed her shoulder reassuringly and smiled.

"There is much more to this then just your mistake, trust me. Do you know when they started this operation?"

"Ah'm not sure, Mystique said she had been there for a week."

"Did you see anyone else?"

"No, Ah'm sure Ah only saw mah mom, Mystique as that man, and Danvers."

"What did Mystique say to you regarding these experiments?"

"Mystique told me Danvers was extractin' our powers to use fer herself, or however the government wanted her to. She told me mah momma was next, so Ah grabbed Danvers n' took...everything. Ah'm so sorry...Ah really didn't mean any harm Professor, Ah mean, Ah did... but Ah-Ah didn't mean ta do all o' this!" Rogue said tears pouring from her eyes she had been dodging, and hiding in her own subconscious from Danvers this entire time. The Professor hugged her again.

"I know Rogue, you've always been careful with your abilities, you wouldn't have done this had you known. Be calm, and prepare to fight toward control, while I take care of Danvers."

"Please Professor don't...don't put her through anything else. Sh-she didn't deserve this." Rogue begged for anything to ease Danvers' torment. To correct some of what she had done to her.

"She is in good hands, Rogue, trust me. Walk toward consciousness, and don't look behind you." She nodded, and as instructed she moved forward to resume control of herself with the Professor's help. The Professor commanded much an overwhelming authority, that Danvers' essence couldn't deny him as anything else, but a commanding officer. The chemical vapor that Beast had administered to Rogue was lulling Danvers into an easily manipulated soldier, willing to except any orders the Professor deemed fit. He looked directly into Danvers' military façade, and began barking orders, he wanted answers, and he wanted his student safe, and in control.

"Identify yourself!" The Professor demanded, and like the trained soldier Danvers was, she immediately stood to attention.

"Carol Danvers, United States Air Force, Special First class. Awaiting orders sir!" Danvers promptly answered in perfect form.

"What was your purpose on your most recent assignment?" The Professor spoke directly and firmly.

"To detain, and retrain mutant subjects, and run multiple power-stripping and harboring experiments on said subjects." Danvers obediently answered.

"For what purpose?" He demanded.

"Deactivation of hostel, or potentially dangerous mutants, and harboring of mutated skills that would benefit my superiors, and ultimately my country."

"Whom were your superiors during this assignment?"

"Classified information, I can only speculate, but I reported to a Dr. James Ng, senior Genetic engineer." She robotically responded.

"The..other scientist that you were in the lab with? He was your superior?"

"Yes sir, he reported directly to the head of the entire operation." Dr. James Ng, was the persona Mystique had been impersonating. Upon further research there never was a Dr. James Ng. He was completely fabricated by Mystique, this begged the question: who the hell was Mystique working with? And why would she help in destroying the entire operation? The Professor was starting to think, despite the soldiers in the mine, that the Government had very little to do with this operation.

"But you, yourself are a mutant, true?"

"Negative, I am a pure genetic human, with abilities attained by outside means."

"Outside of this country?"

"Outside of this planet."

"I see... Is that why you were chosen to conduct these mutant experiments?"

"Affirmative. My strength, flight, and training made me essential.

"When were you pulled into the project?"

"Since the beginning, three days ago." Danvers stated. The Professor thought about that, Mystique had been there from the beginning, before Danvers. Apparently Danvers was being misinformed, and possibly being used as well, making this even less likely that Government played as big of a role as previously thought.

"What about Rogue?"

"I am unfamiliar."

"Hm...your assignment is complete. What are your future plans Danvers?"

"Await further instructions from my superiors."

"You are simply going to wait?" The Professor wasn't completely comfortable with her answer.

"Those were my orders."

"I see. Please then, rest until you are needed."

"Thank you, sir." The Professor pulled a barrack door open for Danvers. He then locked the door behind her, and walked to the fore front of Rogue's mind. The Professor leaned back in his chair, and looked over his young student. Rogue's eyes fluttered open, she was herself again. She first laid eyes on Logan's relieved face.

"Welcome back to the livin', kid." Logan leaned closely over her, unable to contain a warm grin.

"Logan! Your okay!" Rogue was so happy to see them all there, and safe, that put her arms around Logan to hug him, pressing his Adamantium-covered bottom ribs into his lungs, puncturing them both. Logan gasped, then choked, and dropped to the ground in a sickening bundle, Rogue stopped briefly for a moment to take in what she had just done, and screamed.

* * *

"...then she told me to 'eat s*** and die you soulless bitch' , then she and her friend just took off." Jean sighed.

"Yeah, that was pretty much the same way she was with us." Looking back Scale face was so ridiculous, that it was funny. "Don't worry hon, I know you have a soul." Scott smiled.

"Well, thank you." Jean smiled sarcastically, as she leaned down for a small kiss. "Sunfire, is going to be just fine, once we get him into the Sun tomorrow morning, he'll be as good as new. For now, we got him on the tanning bed, it seems to be doing him a world of good."

"I'm almost afraid to ask...Pyro?" Scott asked as they stepped off the elevator. They were heading down to the infirmary to check in with the Professor and they're other teammates.

Jean sighed, "Mr. is resting comfortably in our 'best suite', and is making more use of our hot tub then I'm okay with. What are we going to do with him?" She asked. Pyro was treating the institute like his our personal holiday.

"We'll worry about that after football season, right now he's not costing us a whole lot of maintenance. Nightcrawler?"

"Slow going, but stable. I have to go back to see him in a few hours to relieve Beast, we just have to keep a close eye. What did the Professor say about the whole Rogue, Mystique, and Miss-by-the-order-of-the-U.S. Government thing?" As far as Jean knew, Rogue was still fighting a war inside her head, if she wasn't so badly needed taking care of their new guests, and other injuries, she wanted to be at the Professor's side. She wished she could be there when Rogue opened her eyes. She needed to know Rogue was herself, and stable.

"The professor wants to track down Mystique. The Professor thinks once he pries Danvers out of Rogue, she'll give us reason to believe that if we can find Mystique, then she'll take us directly to whoever set this whole thing in motion. Hopefully."

"Sounds like it'll be worth a shot. Who would you send out?"

"Rogue who else? She our best bet." Scott said matter-of-factually. Jean immediately disagreed, she saw the state of Rogue's mind, there was no way she would be well enough to handle an another assignment; and certainly not an assignment that involved seeing her mothers so shortly after being betrayed by one and almost losing the other.

"I don't know about that Scott. Shouldn't we wait til she totally recovers?" Jean warned.

"I wish, but better to strike when the iron's hot. If we move now we got a real good chance of catching up with her. That wounded partner of her's will slow her down. A big part of her motivation was Rogue anyway, if anyone can pull her into the light, its Rogue." In Scott's mind it was a perfect plan.

"So were using our teammates as bait now?" Jean said, crossing her arms.

"What are you talking about? It makes sense, you heard Mystique, she planning on her daughter seeing things her way, and that lunatic thinks Rogue will eventually go running back her. Mystique's ego is our best bet of nailing her."

"What about Rogue, Scott?" Jean was surprised with him, Rogue wasn't even in control of her own body yet. He seemed to be loosing sight of his humanity.

"Well, yeah, Rogue and Mystique's ego is our best bet nailing her-"

"No Scott, what about Rogue?" Jean repeated herself, he was completely missing the point.

"What about her? She's strong-stronger now even, besides this way she'll also get to see if Irene is alright. I'm sure that alone is worth it to her."

"She's been through a lot, Scott. I was inside her mind, I saw how out of control Danvers was. Don't fool yourself into thinking your doing her a favor. I don't think its such a good idea to send her back out so soon." Jean said, getting angry.

"Rogue's capable, you know that. What she's lacking in instability she's gained in mutant ability. Its called a silver lining, Jean." Scott felt the need to spell it out for her, how could she not see that this was their best chance at stopping a source of mutant oppression dead in it's tracks?

" Don't condescend to me Scott Summers! I think your being insensitive, she's your friend, and we need her mentally well first!"

"I'm her leader first, Jean, and she'll be fine-"

"Fine?! Sure! 'Fine' until Danvers takes the wheel, and turns on her! That's what'll happen to her if you send her out before she recovers! Scott, you saw her on the plane! She's dangerous, and she's pissed off!"

"Clam down, we can handle her, and Rogue is adaptable" Scott learned very quickly that the fastest way to get someone that's mad at you, even madder, tell them to 'calm down'.

"Do whatever you want Mr. Leader, I'm not supporting this decision! I suggest you figure out something else that won't permanently scar our friends for life! " Jean shot back at him, as she stomped off to go check on Rogue.

"Jean!" Scott called after her, "You just don't get it!..." He called after her, "That's right Scott, just make it worse." He grumbled to himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shapely form saunter up behind him. He turned to see a perfectly ravishing girl, with intense dark eyes, and dark hair that swayed behind her, like cut silk.

"You are right you know..." Betsy purred. She had been eyeing the tall slim mutant, ever since he had parted the group of armed soldiers with that incredible optic blast.

"H-hell..o." Scott was taken completely off guard, partly by her stealth, mostly because of her beauty. He watched her full lips move as she spoke, her eyes drew him in, but her lips kept him entranced.

"Elisabeth, Elisabeth Braddock...you can call me Betsy if you like. Your Cyclops?" She said, smiling with lips that pouted after every sentence. She was used to this kind of reaction from men, and some women, but there was actually a point to her game this time. She felt like she owed these people, they did save her life after all. She was going to tell them some important information regarding her time down in the mine, but what was the harm in having a little fun too.

"Uh, S-Scott Summers." Scott tried to compose himself as the leader of a tactical mutant team should.

"Well hello Scott, I wanted to thank you formally. For all I know you people saved my life." Betsy said, placing a hand on Scott's chest.

"We have a good team." Scott said coolly, a smug smile on his face.

"A team is nothing without great leadership, and your right about Mystique." She continued to stroke his ego, as well as his chest.

"Do you know something we should?" Scott tried to stay unresponsive, but allowed her to continue touching him, and did not back away no mater how close she was getting into his personal space.

"Only that you're right to pressure this girl. When your Nightcrawler removed me from my cell, I was able to start scanning and reading my environment again. Those soldiers didn't know what they were doing." She said, pushing her hair back.

"What are you talking about? They were taking, and giving orders, displaying strategy, and were even in formation." To Scott, Betsy just got even more interesting.

"What you saw was training of the body, habitual movements, their minds however, were blank slates, just a little more than puppets..." She cooed, she moved with such grace it almost seem her long silk hair was circling around him.

"S-so who was the puppet master?" Scott took a deep breath as he watched her lips move. The part of his chest where Betsy had put her hand was still hot.

"Haven't the foggiest, every time I tried to peek, I got a proverbial whipping. Whom ever it was ensured their privacy, even from a telepathic peeping tom, like myself." She smiled.

"The government has that kind of defense?" Scott asked in disbelief. She pouted her full lips, and shrugged. She then moved toward the elevator to explore the mansion, leaving a resonating echo of sexuality behind her, swaying her full curves. She stepped onto the platform, and spoke to Scott over her shoulder.

"Perhaps they do...if they are the ones responsible. But if you want my opinion, we'll have to sit down together, and chat a while. Well, once you've settle things with that pretty girl of yours." Betsy smiled, she raised a beckoning eyebrow to him as the elevator doors closed between them. Scott took a deep breath, and released a low short whistle. No sooner had the doors closed when the telepathic voice of Jean filled his head.

"Scott!" Jean called out.

"What'd I do!?" Scott said defensively.

"What? Nothing! Get down here! Its Rogue!"

"What's wrong with her?" Scott asked darting off in the direction of the infirmary.

"Ah!" Rogue screamed, a loud crash from the end of the hall gave way to his teammate crashing through a wall, and passing in front of him, nearly taking him off his feet. Jean continued to inform Scott as Rogue met the other side of the hallway wall, cracking through it, was if it were made of crackers.

"She's awake!"

* * *

Beast quickly place Logan on a steel gurney, Jean rushed over and began to breath Logan with a breathing pump. They would force an tube down his throat to give him some comfort while he healed himself. For a few minutes he would look like Kurt, helpless, and hooked up to tubes.

"Rogue you'll be okay if you just-"

"Okay!? Are you jokin'?! Lookit Logan!" Rogue said, practically hysterical.

"He'll be okay! I promise, now just don't touch anything..." Scott tried to calm her down, but he really wasn't very good at that.

"Ah don't mean ta-!" Rogue reached behind herself, she only meant to check if there was anything behind her. The way anyone would to prevent from bumping into anything, such a simple thing became destructive if you're capable of breaking a truck with your eyelid. The sterile metal wall behind her creased, and spilt like a sheet of paper as her hand pressed against it. Rogue then, like anyone, tried to stand up, and the force of her hand against the floor cracked it. "What's happenin' ta me!?" Rogue yelled, jumping up in surprise, but jumping up wasn't just jumping, it was suddenly flying, then crashing against the ceiling in the hall.

"Rogue...listen to my voice..." The Professor's calming voice filled Rogue's ear's, "Let me guide you." He said as he reached into the motor skill cortex of Rogue's brain, and helped her become still. She slowly descended from the ceiling to the floor.

"What's happenin'...?" Rogue asked weakly, she stayed on her knees, too afraid to stand.

"It would appear you've retained Danvers' abilities. Just stay clam, Rogue." Beast said and slowly approached her. He placed his large hand on her shoulders, and slowly pulled her up to her feet. She held herself not wanting to touch anything. Again, all eyes were on her, and it was never in a good way. She felt the need to run out of the room, now she was sure that was sure she was herself again, because Danvers would never run. She eyed the door, but was too afraid to approach it, what if she bumped into someone that didn't have an accelerated healing factor like Logan? She could kill someone, the very thought froze her in place.

" Rogue, please sit..." The Professor, using his telepathy slid a chair up behind her, and again spoke softly to her, "Just sit, and try to understand what it is that your body is telling you...

"It's not mah body anymore." Rogue carefully sat down in the steel chair, placing her hands on the cold steel arm rests, and crushed them like tin foil. Rogue recoiled, and folded her hands together, pressing them up to her chest.

"That is not true. There is more of you here than anything else. This is Rogue's body, and her will." The Professor smiled warmly.

"What do Ah do? Ah feel so...Ah don't know..." Rogue hung her head not knowing what to do next. She looked over at Logan with a tube down his throat as a machine breathed him, just like Kurt. Jean would take the tube out in a few minutes, he wouldn't need it any more. With remnants of Gambit's guilt still hanging about her mind, and with the gravity of what she had done to Danvers weighting down on her, and now what she had just done to Logan, the guilt was tremendous.

"You have more control then you think Rogue, use the will and instincts it will take to understand these new abilities. Pick out these instincts from Danvers, without allowing her take control. Close your eyes, and concentrate. I'll be with you." The Professor guided her inside her mind, and lead her to something best described as a fruiting tree, he coasted Rogue to remove just the pieces she needed to sustain herself, and keep herself in control. The moment she touched the piece she needed she opened her eyes, and looked around the half-trashed infirmary.

"Ah'm so sorry everyone..." She began, but the Professor stopped her, and gave her a glass test-tube.

"Now I want you to grip the tube in your hand, and don't break it." He instructed, Rogue gave him a disparaging look. "It is possible, simply use what you have retrieved from your own mind." The Professor watched, as Rogue took a deep breath, and slowly gripped the glass tube, she could feel the thin glass stressing, but didn't crack it.

"Ah-Ah didn't break it!" Rogue smiled, to actually to be happy about something so basic, made her depressed all over again.

"Excellent, practice Rogue, hone your new skills-"

"They ain't may skills Professor." Rogue said grimly.

"They are now, and they will feel more like you as practice and solidify them into your own self." The Professor could only press her to move on. What else could he do? It was clear to him that Rogue's situation was permanent, and his dedication was only to his student. Perhaps in the future he could do something for her, but now, adapting, and control was the prescription for Rogue.

"Ah'll try..." Rogue said weakly.

"I want you to go upstairs, and do something relaxing. Fun would be better, if you can." The Professor knew he was asking the impossible.

"Relaxing? Yeah sure, like homework?" She said sarcastically.

"No, something you like doing, and only the things you like doing. Listen to only your favorite music, read your favorite books, eat your favorite foods. Engrave yourself into your body, that will better erase the blurred line between you, and Danvers. The more specific, and original the activity, the better. It will help keep you in control." The Professor reassured her. Control was the one thing Rogue wanted more than anything, but it seemed so out of her reach. Hopelessness was unavoidable.

"Ah'll try, Professor." Again, Rogue carefully stood, and headed out the door as fast as she could, not wanting to look at all the destruction she had caused. Just hearing Logan breath was painful, she hated herself, and what she had become. What was something only Rogue would do? In this kind of situation...she'd run. So obediently, Rogue followed the Professor's advise, and headed to the garage, Rogue was running.

* * *

Dit mon la verite' - Cajun French for 'tell me the truth!'. Showing disbelief in someone, or a situation; similar to 'Are you kidding?!'

Ça doit être un putain de mensonge - 'It must be a f****** lie' (Its okay to swear so long as it in a different language...classy.)

Go make groceries - to go grocery shopping.

Les gars, vous ne savez rien - 'You kids do not know anything'

P'tit Boug - Little boy


End file.
